Hearing the Nightingale's Song
by Flaxen
Summary: While big things are happening in the small family of Emma Swan and Killian Jones, a family from The Land of Untold Stories starts to make their presence known. A crisis from far, far away begins to stir, and only a Savior who has found inner peace can help. All will lead to the importance of authenticity, family, and listening to your inner self. Set after 6x22.
1. Act 1: 1st of 40

**Act 1: 1st of 40**

 **Week 1:** **March:**

 **The body:** _Congratulations, Saviour! Your sheet gymnastics with that pirate of yours has paid off. You just don't know it yet, and neither does your body. Actually, it will take two weeks before you're actually pregnant. When a doctor or a midwife calculates the due date, they will count 40 weeks from the first day of your last period, not from the day the baby was actually made._

 **The baby:** _While this is technically considered the first week, your baby is still only an egg, in your ovary. The first day of your period is considered Day 1 of the 280 days of your pregnancy, even though conception won't occur for another 14 days or so. Confused? Understandable._

* * *

Killian Jones had just finished his usual morning shower as he opened the door into the master bedroom, which he shared with his lovely wife, Emma Swan. The damp air filled the entire room, and he shivered a little when he met the slightly colder air in the larger room.

Usually, Emma would be up by now as well, but not this morning. Still sleeping she was lying with her back facing him. He chuckled a bit to himself, considering for a short moment if he should rip the comforter from her in one drag, but quickly threw the idea away as he would rather face horrible torture from the Underworld than facing a rather grumpy Emma in the morning.

Pulling on his boxers to cover up his noble parts, he swung the towel to lay over his shoulders and sat down beside his sleeping wife. "Morning, love." He whispered, bending down to kiss her forehead gently.

A deep groan was the only response he got, as Emma twitched her face slightly and turned around, away from him, facing now his empty side of the bed. She was not at all in the mood for getting up. Not now, at least. Emma was about to fall asleep again when she felt her comforter being pulled slightly off, enough for her shoulder to be shown. A hand gently slid down her arms, while a pair of lips met her shoulder. She groaned deeply again. The feeling was indeed nice, but she was so tired. More tired than usual, actually.

For a short moment, Killian did consider letting his wife sleep in, as she came home very late last night. Over the past two weeks, Emma had covered extra shifts at the station, due to both him and her father, David, being too sick to work. A terrible flu had spread across the small town in Maine and had hit almost everyone in its way. Killian had just gotten out of it and only dealt with a small cough or a sneeze here and there. A small concerning thought hit him. Maybe Emma was slowly catching it as well, though she didn't appear sick, just tired.

His thoughts were interrupted by another groan, but this time it was followed up by Emma sitting up, rubbing her tired eyes. "Well, rise and shine, love," he whispered, rubbing her arm, and got up to get dressed. As she stood up, Emma let out a deep yawn. "Maybe I could take the shift tonight, love, I'm getting much better, and I think you could use the time off," he suggested. "I might take you up on that," she answered, as she went to him to give him a small kiss on his cheek, before going into the bathroom to take a shower as well.

As she stripped off her clothes, she spotted something, a slightly dark red spot on her white panties. "Oh, great," she muttered to herself. Just what she needed. Knowing that her cramps on her first day would be really painful, she was almost ready to jump back into bed and stay there for the rest of the day, but being the sheriff of Storybrooke, AND the Saviour of all freaking realms, in this world, also meant; no time off. Not even when you're tired, and having your period.

After a long, and very needed hot shower, she covered her body with the towel and went into the bedroom to get dressed. With one swift wave of her hand, the bed was made, and she made her way downstairs, where Killian was putting bowls and cereals on the dining table, in the kitchen.

"Guess what? My cycle started today. It's gonna be so much fun," she let out sarcastically as she sat down, pouring her fruit loops into her bowl, and adding milk.

Killian sighed a little bit. Maybe that was the explanation for Emma being more tired than usual. She always was, when having her periods. "Love, if it gets too much, David, and I can take over. We owe you for covering for us, and if you're about to catch the flu as well, maybe you should take the day off".

Emma sighed a little, considering his suggestion a bit, but shook her head as she swallowed. "Nah, it's okay, I'll be fine. Besides most of today will be paperwork. Unless a new psychopathic villain makes an appearance" she chuckled slightly, as she gulped down her glass of orange juice which Killian had served her earlier on.

At that comment, Killian chuckled along as well. "Aye, love, but my offer still stands should that last thing be the case".

* * *

Same day:

Emma was only kept slightly busy at the station, as Storybrooke had been more peaceful than ever, since their last face off with Gideon, and the Black Fairy.

Everything seemed to have settled down. Only small intrusions like bar fights, and thefts kept the Sheriff's of the town occupied. That also made it possible to finally catch up with the stacks of paperwork that had been collecting dust in, what seemed like decades.

The cramps, and her tiredness did, however, make things a little more challenging for her liking. Though Emma had indeed evolved from the woman, who kept her walls up by doing everything, by herself, shutting everyone out in the process, she did, however, tend to allow her stubbornness to prohibit her from calling it a day. Of course, she had considered using magic to ease the pain, but her magic could still, despite being in more control, be unpredictable, and when in pain she had more difficulties using it.

Regina was too busy trying to figure out family life with Robin, Zelena, Roland, their shared baby girl, Jade, and sometimes Henry under the same roof, alongside with ruling the town as Mayor. Calling upon her for simple things as period cramps seemed unfair and unnecessary.

Mr Gold has been in Emma's consideration as well, but despite him turning more on the good side than he had ever been in the past, and taking care of his family, considering Belle, and Gideon, who had turned back into an infant, Emma still had some slight issues in trusting him.

"Maybe you should get something for that" her father, David, suggested slight concerned from the closed office as he watched Emma's hand going down to caress her abdomen. "It's okay" turning around to face him, she smiled at him, through the pain. "It always acts up like this on the first day. It will pass".

With that, David only nodded and went back to finish off the file laying on the desk in front of him. He chuckled a bit to himself. It wouldn't have been that long ago when both him, and Snow, his lovely wife, and mother to Emma, and their son, Neal, would have been all over their oldest child with concern. They too had evolved as well. Missing 28 years of their daughter's life had certainly taken its toll, and still did sometimes, but not as much as before.

Though he and Snow had bought a small farm outside of town and were busy in keeping that, David still kept his Sheriff title as well and took shifts both alone, and alongside with Emma, or Killian.

The sound of the door opening made both father and daughter look up in anticipation as the third member of the small Sheriff group came in with bags from Granny's in his one functional hand. Putting it down on David's desk, he went over to his still, slightly suffering wife, bending down, he kissed her forehead. "Fresh supplies for a suffering lass and the healing man, has arrived".

Going back, he fetched the hot chocolate, with cinnamon, of course for both himself and Emma. David had already been digging in, and together, the three of them enjoyed their warm drinks.

* * *

Same night:

After work, that night, Emma, and Killian made their way home. While David headed home to Snow and Neal, he agreed to be having the phone on his person at all times for emergency calls, even in the latest hours of the night.

Henry was staying at Regina's tonight. Though, he had joined the three of them after school during the afternoon to do his homework at the station. The normal, everyday life had called upon the kid as well, and he had a lot to catch up on as well.

While Emma was finishing off the last of the dishes that couldn't fit in the dishwasher after tonight's dinner, Killian had gone upstairs and after a few minutes, he returned and walked over to her. "Let me finish that for you, love. The tub is filled with hot water and bubbles just for you".

At that, Emma could only turn around and give him one big kiss on his lips. What had she done to deserve a man as lovely as he? Nothing sounded better just before going to bed.

She quickly made her way upstairs and walked into the bathroom, she undressed and submerged herself into the tub. It was like her body immediately relaxed at the sensation of the hot water covering her body. Leaning her head back on the small towel, which Killian had folded for her, she took a deep breath and almost drifted off to sleep, if she had not noticed the temperature in the water falling.

Getting out, she dried her body and hair, before getting in her tank-top she wore to bed and entered the bedroom. Killian had already settled in, due to him healing from his slight sickness as well, he had decided to go to bed early too.

As Emma laid down on her side, before they both went to sleep, they shared a quick goodnight kiss, before switching the lights off and turning to each of their sides. Not long after, Emma began feeling restless again, the cramps were coming back. Whimpering a little, she ducks her face into the pillow, trying to bite through the pain.

Killian was about to fall asleep when he noticed the uneasiness on the other side of the bed. Turning around, he gently caressed Emma's back, which seemed to calm her down. "You okay there, love?" He whispered to her. "Yeah, I'm fine. It just started again" she groaned. A hand suddenly made its way into her comforter and down towards her abdomen, a little startled by the touch, she stiffened a little. "Shh, love. Remember this sometimes helps?" He whispered gently to her, as his hand began rubbing the aching area. Emma relaxed instantly by the touch, and as the pain began to ebb away, she calmed down even more, and a few moments with his touch, Emma fell into a deep sleep.

"I love you, Emma, sleep well" He whispered as he watched her breathing evenly in and out. Taking his hand away, he turned around and fell asleep as well.

* * *

 **Already, I'm apologising for bad grammar - I know there's quite a few bugs in there :).**

 **This story here will contain a lot of CaptainSwan and Charming Family fluff. In this one, Robin is still alive, and living with Regina alongside Zelena, and their kids as well. I don't know. I just really like Robin being around, so just imagine that he never died during s. 5B ;) Also, I decided to rename Zelena's baby to Jade (a shade of green, of course) as the plotline with her calling the baby "Robyn" doesn't make sense, when he's alive :)**

 **The title is a working title as well and might change.**

 **Also, the idea is heavily inspired by a House-fanfic called White Christmas Miracle - this chapter is a little similar to the first chapter as a little "dedication" if you will, but the rest of the story will be 100% original from my parts. I'll admit though, that I will be borrowing a lot of the body/baby-text. Credits goes to Cham-TIVA4ever.**

 **Otherwise, I hope you like it :)**


	2. City of Sails

**City of Sails**

 **Week 2: April:**

 **The body:** _So, you have been on this journey before Saviour, and now it'll begin again. Right now, millions and millions of sperm are traveling towards your fallopian tubes to reach one single, lonely egg. Out of all those millions, only about 200 will make it through. It will end up being only one single sperm that will cross the victory line. Still, your body is unaware of what is happening to it, and still will be until next week, at least. There might also be small cramps due to the ovulation._

 **The baby:** _When this week ends, and once the egg has been fertilised, it will divide into two nuclei that contain the genes of you and your pirate. If egg did indeed meet sperm, the baby you have formed will begin to rapidly divide again, and again, and again. The little ball of cells will double in size, about every 12 hours. You will not grow at that rate, though. Within a few days, the egg will start to change from a solid ball of cells, called a morula, into a layer of hundreds of cells clustered around in a fluid-filled cavity, called a blastocyst. That blastocyst is your baby! And now, it will begin a 7-10 day journey down the fallopian tubes to the uterus._

* * *

It had been a week now since her period had started, and now after a few days of cramps, pains, and incredibly disgusting menstrual blood, with sanitary pads to cover up for that, Emma was finally a free woman again. Shaking her head a little from side to side, she let her long, blond hair flow freely in the wind, she leant against the solid, wooden rail of the Jolly Roger, and watched as the docks of Storybrooke became smaller and smaller as the ship sailed away. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the fresh air against her face.

The sun was shining against the Jolly Roger as she was slowly sailing through the waves, on the open ocean. The wind blew from the north west, pushing the sails lightly. The sky was blue, and clear with few clouds, and there was complete silence, except for the sound of the waves, and the few seagulls in the air.

Emma turned around, still leant against the rail with her elbows as she watched Henry, and Killian at the ship's helm. She ignored the way her hair got in the way as it blew rapidly in front of her face. Henry was standing at the helm as he was instructed by Killian, on how to man the helm. She smiled warmly at them; watching her son bond with her husband, as if Killian was his father, warmed, and touched her heart deeply.

"Alright lad, just make sure to keep her steady now and keep watching ahead. She's working with you now," Killian instructed and pointed out at the horizon with his famous metal hook. Captain Hook was at work. Killian stepped back a bit, watching casually as the young teenager nodded, and grabbed the handles of the helm; watching out and trying to control the ship as he was told to.

Killian couldn't help but close his eyes as Emma just did before, and breathe in the fresh air which only the open ocean could provide. Man, he had missed this. Though he was as happy as a man could be, besides from getting away from the Underworld, having married his true love, being a part of her family, almost nothing could compare to the feeling of freedom he felt when sailing. His thoughts became interrupted by Henry's voice;

"This is so cool," he happily let out, he was really excited for this small trip that his mom and Killian had invited him on yesterday. "Standing here, at the helm of the very Jolly Roger with its famous captain behind me, teaching me. What more could you ask for?" Henry asked over his shoulder, which made both the captain and his wife chuckle lightly at. "Aye, lad, you certainly have a point there. Maybe I've should have focused more on that when we talked to your other mom about this".

At that, Emma laughed even louder, clearly remembering the conversation between Killian, and Regina, which she had accidentally overheard in the middle of the week. "You heard our 'talk', didn't you, love?" Killian asked as he turned towards his wife, "Oh, I did indeed," she chuckled along, while Killian cringed a little. When they were at Regina's house for dinner, Killian had suggested the trip to give everyone a little break, as it would be for the weekend, but only himself, Emma, and Henry were able to come along. Thinking that everything was fine, Killian had been quite surprised when being pulled to the side by Regina. None of them knowing that Emma was inside the bathroom right beside them, doing her business.

"She certainly knows how to scare the hell out of people, " at that Emma laughed even more. "What did she say?" Henry asked curiously. "Well, captain?" Emma giggled at her husband as she crossed her arms, pretending to order the explanation. Killian cringed a little as he told them, how Regina had made a clear announcement on how she would slowly, and painfully remove a specific manly body part of his if he didn't return the lad in one piece. Now Henry was laughing along with his mother as well, and Killian slowly began laughing along too. Apparently, threats from the former Evil Queen weren't that bad, when they seemed to entertain the small crew.

Unfortunately, Henry became a little too distracted in laughing along and accidentally turned the helm, making the ship turn suddenly. Neither of the three passengers was prepared for the sudden movement. Emma quickly grabbed a hold of the rail, while Killian, as experienced as he was, quickly gained his balance again. Henry, on the other hand, was knocked down on the hard, wooden floor of the deck. The sudden release of the handles, made the helm turn right back, making the ship turn to the other direction in a hard movement again. "Argh!" He hissed as a splinter from the wooden floor had ducked into his hand.

Killian hurried to the wheel, grabbed the handles, and with all his might, he turned wheel back, slowly steadying his ship, "Easy there, girl," he whispered under his breath as if talking to the ship would help, but slowly, and surely, the ship began floating steadily on the ocean surface.

"Henry! Are you hurt?!" Emma shouted out worried, quickly running to her son. She grabbed his arm, and helped him up, "I'm fine, mom!" he snapped at her, jerking his arm back. He didn't mean to be rude, she was just helping, he knew that, but the pain from the splinter in his hand and the fact that he had just screwed up got the best of him.

Emma ignored his little outburst. She probably wouldn't have reacted much better herself, if it had been her own mom, checking up on her like that. "It's okay, kid, nothing happened," she breathed out, "Here, let me see," she continued, and grabbed his hand, looking at the small injury. This time, Henry didn't pull back, "it's nothing, just a splinter," he shrugged off, "I know, kid, I know, but you know, maternal instincts are calling," she assured him as she gently turned his hand over, holding it with her own hand, while slowly letting her other hand drift over it. White light glanced out of it, and in one second the splinter was gone, and his hand was left clean as new. "There, all fixed up," she smiled at him, "thanks, mom," he smiled back, taking his hand back, glancing at it.

He turned around towards Killian, "I'm sorry, Killian, it was my fault, I lost control," he apologised honestly. "Don't mention it, lad, it happens to even the best sailors out there," Killian shrugged off, Henry was such an honest kid. Killian didn't want him to feel too bad for that little mistake. "Come back here," Killian ordered in a friendly tone and stepped slightly back for Henry to take over the wheel again, motioning with his hand to take his place. Henry stepped in again as he was told, and took over the handles again.

Henry was a little shaken at first, but slowly, and surely, he regained his confidence, and relaxed a little bit more. Emma went back to her original position, letting her boys be, and looked up towards the sky, letting her gaze turn down towards the ocean, she suddenly spotted something. "Oh look!" She let out, pointing towards a small pot of orcas, which had come up to the surface to spout. Both Killian and Henry turned towards Emma at her outburst. "Oh wow!" Henry let out, amazed. This time, Killian quickly glanced back at Henry's hands to make sure a repeat of recent events wouldn't occur, and grabbed one of the handles, while turning his gaze back towards the whales. 'Another beauty of the sea', he thought to himself. Killian's eyes suddenly lighted up as he got an idea. Feeling the wind growing a bit stronger, he could feel the waves getting bigger as well. Time to let wife, and stepson try out one of the true wonders of being on the ocean;

"Alright, crew, gather together" He ordered lightly, interrupting Emma's concentration on the whales, and making Henry look at him after he had returned his gaze out on the horizon. Emma slowly got up from her position and walked towards her husband, and son, knowing that Killian was up to something now. When Emma was close enough, Killian made a quick swift with his hook to let Henry know that he would take over for a short bit. Henry stepped aside quickly, letting Killian take over. The captain grabbed the handles, and when he was sure that the ship was steady despite the wind and the ocean acting a bit up, he released his grip, turning towards Henry, and Emma.

"Okay, lad, and love, come with me, quickly," he spoke out, waving his arm to go with him as he went down towards the middle of the ship. Emma and Henry gave each other a questioning look, before following the pirate. What could he be up to? Following him, they both stopped as Killian now stood at the ship's main mast. Bending down, he grabbed two loose ropes and turned towards Henry. "Alright, lad, think you can climb with me up to the crow's nest?" He asked the teenager. Looking up at the, at least 6-foot piece of wood towards the viewing post, Henry looked back at Killian and nodded. Looking back at Emma, clearly, to get her acknowledgement and permission on whatever Killian was planning, he grinned widely as Emma nodded at both of them. While every part of her maternal instincts told her no, she decided to trust Killian. "What about my other mom?" Henry quickly asked, at that Killian decided to let his fears of Henry's adoptive mother aside. "What she doesn't know, doesn't hurt her, now come on!"

She watched as they both grabbed hold of the ratlines, and climbed up. Emma watched with crossed arms as they climbed higher and higher.

As they reached the post, Killian raised his eyebrows at the boy, who now stood gazing, excited at the view. In all of his 300 years of sailing, he had never encountered a lad who could follow alongside him while climbing the ratlines the first time. Emma's tough genes certainly showed themselves here. "Alright, Henry," he began, interrupting Henry in his awe of being up so high, "We're actually going to climb a little higher up to the main topsail yard," he told the boy and pointed up. Henry's eyes widened a little in surprise as he looked up. The main topsail yard was even higher up than the crow's nest on the ship, but he gathered courage and nodded at the pirate, and once again, they began climbing.

Emma, still standing at the bottom lifted her eyes in surprise as she watched her boys climbing up even higher. Breathing out heavily, she decided to keep calm.

Hanging on ratlines, Killian looked down towards Henry, "okay, lad, now, you climb up ahead, and make sure you get a good grip on the ropes, which connects these ratlines to the mast," He ordered the boy. Henry only nodded, and did as he was told. Reaching the end, he slowly took a hold on the lines as he was told, and slowly stood up. Killian followed him quickly, and took the loose ropes, he had brought with him. "Well done, lad, now I'm going to tie your ankles to the yard, just spread your feet a little. Quickly, Killian tied the ropes to Henry's ankles, and after he was sure they were as tight as they could be without hurting Henry, but still keeping him safe, he looked up at the boy. "Now, I'm going back down to your mom, and soon the real fun will begin," he told Henry, who could only nod, as he still held tight to the lines.

Killian scurried down, jumping the last few metres, and turned his attention towards his wife. "Now it's your turn, love," he told Emma, who's eyes widened a little, just like her son's did. "You want me to climb up there too?" She asked a little bit unsure. "Nah, that'll be another time, now come on". Once again, Killian bent down to get another two pieces of loose rope, before he rose up, and waved his arm for Emma to follow along, and went towards the ship's bowsprit.

"After you, dear," he told her, nodding his head towards the bow, gesturing for her to climb up on it, "Go all the way, love, and when you reach the end, do as I told Henry; stand up slowly, and grab a good hold on to the rope at the end. Spread your feet then, and I'll tie your ankles to the bow," Killian called out, as Emma began climbing the piece of wood, which lead her out to the farthest part of the ship. As she reached the point, she did as she was told. As she stood up, she spread her feet, and let Killian tie her ankles.

This time, the tying was done a little more awkwardly as Killian had to hold onto the ropes that were connected to the bowsprit to keep his balance while securing his wife. "Emma, I must ask you to make sure they're tight enough," he told her. Emma nodded, and a little shaken, she bent down and tightened the ropes that she could feel were too loose.

"Alright then," Killian let out, and backed up, until he could stand up, and jumped back onto the deck, glancing out at Emma to make sure she was alright, and up at Henry for the same course. He looked out towards the horizon, the wind had become stronger now, and now the waves were becoming higher. "Alright, crew, time for the real fun!" He called out loud enough for both of them to hear. One looking down, and one looking back, they both wondered what was about to happen.

Killian quickly made his way up to the helm. "Now hold on!" He bellowed, grabbed the handles and made a hard turn as the ship met a very high wave.

The ship almost flew out as it reached the peak of the wave, and both Henry's, and Emma's stomachs made a turn at the sudden movement. Henry closed his eyes tightly and held onto the ropes. Emma did the same, while she had to duck herself when the water came crashing down on her, as the ship landed again. Henry's grip on the ropes got even tighter as he felt his knees bending down from the pressure, but as the ship began climbing another wave, both he and Emma opened their eyes, and now the wonder hit them.

It was like they were flying! Killian smiled widely as he could see that both now had caught on.

As he got more used to the movements, Henry's grip on the ropes loosened a little, and he got the confidence to look around, despite the wind being even stronger up here than it was down on the deck, he could make out a flock of seagulls fighting the strong winds, screeching in the air. Looking out, he could see nothing, but open sea in the horizon.

At the very end of the bowsprit, Emma had also gone used to the movements now. Her legs and knees followed the movements. Though she was occasionally getting water splashed on her every time the ship landed on the water, she was looking out as well, when the ship got up again. This made her, now wet hair blow forward, and despite it slapping rapidly on her face, she couldn't imagine a greater adrenaline rush right now.

Slowly, but surely, both Henry and Emma loosened their grip on the ropes they were holding on to, and as the ship began climbing an even higher wave, both of them slowly released their grip, the ropes on their ankles holding them on the spot as they began spreading their arms. As the ship peaked, so did their release of the ropes, and both mother and son were now spreading their arms out in the air.

Both of them let out loud exclamations of excitement as adrenaline rushed through their systems. Now they were literally flying, and as the ship went down again, both of them began laughing at the rush. Emma turned her gaze back up towards Henry, and when they both caught each other's gaze they laughed out even louder.

Killian couldn't help, but smile widely, and he began laughing along with them. It had worked. For a moment, he had feared that he had crossed the lines of their comfort zones, but they were now, clearly enjoying this full out. He couldn't help, but once again, admire their skills to overcome things like these. Emma was standing, gracefully balancing on the bowsprit as if she had done that all her life, while Henry stood solidly in the yard, only gripping onto the rope occasionally. Both of them would make outstanding sailors if given the chance.

As both the wind calmed down, so did the waves, and slowly, the water was as steady as before. "Alright, crew, I think that was it!" He called out to them. After making sure he could leave the helm without anything happening, he first went to help untie Emma, who herself had bent down and loosened her ropes. It turned out so that Killian didn't even have to climb the bowsprit as Emma took the ropes off, and climbed back onto the deck. "Wow!" She breathed out. "That was amazing!" She continued as she almost jumped into her husband's arms, still high on adrenaline.

Killian could only laugh along as he grabbed her, kissing her lightly on the cheek, before grabbing her arms, and holding her out. "Aye, love, I know, but let me go up there, and get your son back, alright?" Emma could only nod and watched as Killian began making his way up towards Henry again. Her legs were shaking from the pressure of holding herself up and keeping her balance on the bowsprit. Taking a deep breath, trying to gather herself a bit, she went, a little shaken towards a barrel by the main mast and sat down.

When Henry came down with Killian, he was as high as she had been. "Oh man! That was so awesome!" He shouted out loudly. At that both Killian, and Emma laughed along, though. Emma seemed a little more out of it than her son was. "You okay, love?" He asked her, as he sat down beside her. "Yeah, I'm fine," she assured him. Knowing that it was from the aftermath of the adrenaline rush she had just been through, he got back up. "Okay, then, what do you guys say that we head home?" He asked his small crew.

"Yeah, that's fine with me" Emma agreed, turning her gaze to her son, who seemed a little disappointed at first, but nodded along, when Killian was quick and gave the permission to let him stand at the helm all the way home.

As both boys went up to the quarter deck, Emma decided to stay behind, still sitting on the barrel, she was still a little out of it, and then, a small cramp in her abdomen hit. Seeming similar, but not as strong as the pains she had during her period last week. First, she thought this was also some sort of aftermath from the incredible amazing rush she just had, but she then remembered having similar feelings during this week. Rubbing her abdomen, she glanced back up at Killian and Henry, and luckily, none of them seemed to have noticed her movements. As the pain died down, so did her worries. Gathering herself together, she stood up and went up to her husband and son as they headed home.

* * *

 **I know, not much is happening, and in the beginning, this will go a little slow, and this story is very fluff imprinted, but I assure you that drama will come, it is OUAT after all ;)**

 **Well, this chapter here, I was listening to "City of Sails" by Marcus Warner, while writing it, and I definitely recommend finding it on Youtube and listen to it while reading this as it is 100% the atmosphere I'm going for, for this chapter.** **watch?v=NtqO0J9ibxw**

 **I don't know much about sailing and ships, and I don't know if the things I've written here is actually possible, but hey, we're in the OUAT-universe, everything is possible :P**

 **Already now, I will thank for the insane amount of support this story has already gotten. So many already following and favoring is very heartwarming to experience, so thank you :)**

 **Flaxen.**


	3. Stable Work

**Stable Work**

 **Week 3: April:**

 **The body:** _Okay, Savior, now we're at our 3th week, and we have 37 left! During this week, the first signs of pregnancy will slowly begin to show. Your breasts will start to ache, and grow a little bit, you'll begin feeling very tired, you'll feel like going to the bathroom every 10 minutes, and if you're really 'lucky', you might start to have morning sickness as well, doesn't it sound fun? Mood_ swings _may begin as well. Right now, your hormones are racing like crazy inside your body, and that will also cause you to be really, really exhausted at all hours of the day. Also, the baby will implant in your uterine later this week, and that might cause a some spotting, but don't worry! That's actually a good sign of a successful pregnancy._

 **The baby:** _During this week, the implantation will happen. Your baby, at this stage, called the "zygote" will take its place in the lining of your uterus. Now, your baby will start to grow here, until you give birth. When the zygote is implanted, the little ball of cells will split into two - one will be the embryo - your baby. The other will become the placenta. The placenta is your baby's source to nutrients. Now the embryo and your uterine lining will work together to form an intricate network of blood vessels to supply oxygen and food for the placenta and the embryo. Near the end of this week, your bouncing mass of cells will start producing the pregnancy hormones called: human chorionic gonadotropin - also hCG. This will be the hormone that will be the cause of most of your pregnancy symptoms during the upcoming weeks and months. By the end of this week, baby will be made of none less than 500 microscopic cells._

* * *

Emma grunted tiredly as she ran her hand over her sweaty forehead. Three stalls done, and four more to go. What exactly had been on her mind when she agreed to her parents that she, and Killian would happily volunteer on working at their farm this weekend, she would never know. Nonetheless, here she was, pitchfork in one hand, a wheelbarrow beside her, and seven horse stalls to muck out.

Killian, Robin, Hank, and David where outside, fixing the fences, while Snow, Henry, and Violet was inside, making a great lunch for the hardworking people when the tasks were done. Regina, and Zelena were also inside the house, taking care of the babies, and Roland. Snow had insisted on their work all being done without magic as a help. She liked the idea of things being done normally, and right way as she would put it.

At the thought of soon being able to sit down, and eat one of those amazing cheeseburgers her parents could make, Emma took the pitchfork in her hands, and began digging into the straw bedding, starting the routine once again, with removing the manure, and the wet, and forking it into the barrow, then wheel it out to dump it in the manure pile, when filled up.

It was far from the first time that she had been helping cleaning the stables, and sure wouldn't be the last. She was used to be physically challenged during her work, and her past as a bail bondsperson, so with that in mind, it seemed even weirder, how tired she felt while mucking the stalls today, and her working list was far from done. After the stalls were mucked out, they would need new bedding with fresh straw, fresh hay, and when that was done, she would prepare, and mix the feed to each horse, and at last, lead the horses inside.

As the barrow was filled once again, she stilled the pitchfork, grabbed the handles of the hand-propelled vehicle, and began wheeling it outside, towards the manure pile, while cursing her father for the fourth time this day for not having bought a barn loader. Yes, this job was a good, stressless, shut-your-brain-off, work, but with a loader it would at least be fun to do, and probably fun enough for Henry to volunteer as well.

Emma sighed deeply as she reached the manure pile, grabbed the handles underneath the wheelbarrow, and dumped the dirty, and smelly straw into it. Grabbing the handles of the now much lighter barrow, she wheeled it back towards the barn to finish of the fourth stall, and to begin on the fifth. Before she went in, she felt the first few drops of water on her face, looking up, she could see the dark clouds above her, and she smirked a little by the thought of that she at least was working inside.

As she reached the fourth stall again, a sudden need to go to the bathroom made her set the wheelbarrow down, and make a quick run for the small bathroom in the barn. It was far from fancy, but it would do. Especially since this was her sixth time, she had experienced the need to go in a short matter of time. 'Another weird thing to put on the list of quite a lot weird things that had been going on lately,' she thought to herself.

This morning, she had been sick. At about 5 a.m, the nausea had woken her up, and she had rushed to the bathroom. Luckily, it hadn't been loud enough to wake up Killian. Being a pirate, you, apparently, quickly, learn to sleep through the noise of someone emptying their stomach. Thinking it was a stomach bug, she had kept it lightly with her breakfast this morning, which she still had been able to keep down. She sighed again, guessing that her not eating enough was the cause of her tiredness. Quickly, Emma finished her small business and went out again, back to work.

By the time Emma had finished mucking out all seven stalls, she felt extremely exhausted. Just the mere thought of beginning her other tasks seemed too much. Going up onto the hayloft seemed like climbing a mountain in comparison. Her body was achy, especially her chest and breasts, and as she reached the loft after climbing the, otherwise, small staircase, she decided to give herself a small break. Slowly, she sat down on one of the straw bales. Breathing heavily, she leaned backwards, and laid down on the bale. "Just a few minutes," she whispered to herself, before she closed her eyes, but not before long she was fast asleep.

* * *

"So, Henry, if you'll begin chopping the cucumbers, the lettuce, and the tomatoes, I will put the buns in the oven, and begin making chopped steaks," Snow told her grandson, as she opened the oven, and took the tray of buns..

"Alright, will do!" Henry answered as he went to the fridge to get the vegetables. "And Violet, if you could start preparing the table, it will be a really helpful," she told the young girl as she closed the oven. "Okay, Snow," Violet smiled back, and began taking plates out of the cabins, and quickly walked into the dining room.

Snow smiled to herself. Finally, Violet had stopped calling her "Mrs. Charming". The girl was so polite, but a little shy as well, so seeing her warming up to her, and the rest of the family more, and more, gave her a nice, warm, feeling.

As Snow, and Henry began working in the kitchen, a small awkward silence began hanging in the air. To lift it off, Snow decided to just go for something, "so, Henry, anything interesting happening at school?" She asked the teenager as she began mixing eggs, and ground beef together in a big bowl. 'Nice going with the originality, Snow. You're working there!' She cursed herself a little bit, but Henry, being the incredibly nice, and patient teenager as he was, cleared his throat a little bit before answering;

"Not so much, grandma. Everything seems pretty normal," he answered, shrugging a bit. "That's not true. Didn't you talk about a new girl in the math class, the other day?" Both Henry, and Snow looked up from their tasks as the voice of Regina interrupted. Walking in with Neal in her arms as the kid had begun squirming, and probably was hungry, she had overheard the small conversation, and couldn't help, but interrupt.

"Hello there, handsome," Snow smiled as she cleaned her hands in a dish towel, before making her way to Regina, and her son. Regina stopped up abruptly at Snow's small outburst, frowning at the younger woman. "She was talking to the baby, mom," Henry interfered, and couldn't help but laugh a little at his adoptive mother's confused look. "Oh, right," Regina stuttered, a bit embarrassed, as her gaze went from Henry to Snow who now stood by her, kissing, and nuzzling her youngest child's cheeks as little Neal was still squirming a bit. "I think he's hungry. I was about to get him a bottle," Regina told Snow as she watched the mother caring for her child. "Of course, it's also a little past his feeding time," Snow answered, and went over to the sink to wash her hands, before going back to mixing the ground beef.

"So, a new girl?" Snow went back to the first topic as she went back to stirring the mix. "Yeah, right. She started about last week. Can't remember her name though," Henry began as he chopped the cucumbers in slices. "Mei," Violet spoke up as she had returned to the kitchen to get knives, and forks.

"Mei? That sounds Asian, Chinese perhaps?" Snow suggested as she looked back up towards Henry while stirring. "She is from one of the refugee families from the Untold Stories-people. I was in a small group with her during math class," Violet explained further, while counting the forks.

"So, do we know where they are from?" Regina asked suspiciously. Somethings in this world would never change, and Regina being suspicious about newcomers, would be one of them.

"Well, she lives outside of town with her mother, father, and grandfather, along with a small group of Asiatic people," Violet told them as she began counting the knives as well. "She is pretty sweet, and quite skilled. I don't think, we should worry," she added as she gathered the flatware, and went back towards the dining room.

"I think she's right, mom. Every newcomer doesn't have to be a new villain," Henry added as he took a bowl from a cabin to put the sliced cucumbers in.

The sound of rumbling outside made everyone in the kitchen stop what they were doing, and they gathered together to take a look through the window at the sink. The rain was now pouring down, and the rumbling was a clear sign of a small thunderstorm coming.

Not long after, the sound of the front door opening was heard, and soon after, the voices of Killian, David, Robin, and Hank filled the area. As they came into the kitchen, they were all slightly wet. It seemed like they had just gone inside as the rain got worse. "At least we didn't start on the painting today. That would have been a waste," David spoke out as he went to place a small kiss on Snow's cheek.

"It looks delicious, honey, are you done mixing the beef? We can take them out, and grill them outside, on the porch," David told her, while Killian opened the fridge, and used his hook to take out a six pack of beer. "Almost done," she answered, and went back to mixing. Quickly, she added salt, and pepper, stirred a little bit more before she took the bowl, and gave it to her husband. "There you go. I will come out with an extra plate to put the steaks on, and the cheese," she told David who nodded, and smiled at his wife. He took the bowl, and went outside with the rest of the boys.

Snow quickly took the plate, and the pack of cheese before she followed her husband. As she got outside, the rain was now pouring down even more than before, and the thunder sounds were louder. She took a quick glimpse of the paddocks while she handed the plate, and the cheese to Hank, and Robin, and to her surprise, she could see the horses were still outside, which meant that Emma wasn't done in the barn yet. 'Weird,' she thought to herself. She would have betted on Emma being almost done by now.

Going back inside, she quickly went to the kitchen. Regina had apparently gone into the living room with Zelena again, and Violet was just on carrying out glasses on a tray, to take into the dining room. "I'll go over at the barn to check on Emma," she announced to Henry who only looked up at her for a brief moment as he was chopping the lettuce, and just nodded.

"Regina, would you mind checking on the buns in about, 10 minutes? I'll be over at the barn, helping Emma getting done," she asked as she quickly stuck her head inside the living room where Regina, and Zelena was sitting, playing with the babies, while Roland was sitting with a small puzzle. Had she not been in a small hurry to check on her oldest child, Snow would, by the sight alone, have sit down with them immediately. "Sure," was the only response she got which for Snow was enough, and by that Snow quickly took on her jacket for barn work, and hurried over to the barn, before becoming too wet.

As she reached the barn, she was once again surprised by the silence, she was met with. Usually, there would be the sound of either hay, or straw being spread out, horse hooves on the cement, or, at really rare cases, she would catch her daughter in either humming, or singing. "Emma?" She called out as she walked down the small stall hall, looking into every stall. The stalls was mocked, but there wasn't put fresh bedding in for the horses.

Snow couldn't help but feel a small bit of worry now. 'The hayloft,' she thought to herself, and quickly went to the small wooden staircase. "Emma, are you up there?" She called again, but no answer. Sinking a bit, she climbed the stairs, and what she saw next almost made her heart stop. There, on one of the bales of straw, her oldest child was lying curled up. "Oh, gosh, Emma!" She called out worried as she hurried over to her daughter, thinking she had fainted, or that she was hurt. Snow's worry died down a little, when it was clear that Emma was just sleeping, but it still seemed quite un-Emma like.

"Emma, sweetheart, can you hear me? Time to wake up," Snow called gently as she shook Emma's shoulder lightly. Relief washed over her as Emma began stirring almost immediately. Emma was quite confused at first, and for a moment she couldn't recognise where she was, but the memory of her laying down here on the bale for a short rest, quickly came back to her. Looking up, she quickly made out the figure of her mother, though she had to blink a couple of times before her vision became clear.

"Are you okay?" Snow asked a bit worried as Emma sat up. "Yeah, I'm fine, just had a bit of a rough morning," Emma admitted as she stood up. Snow couldn't help, but put a hand on her daughter's forehead, fearing that maybe her daughter was about to become sick like David, and Killian had been a few weeks ago.

"I'm fine, mom, stop that" Emma grunted, feeling a sudden annoyance, and waved her mother's hand away. Guessing it was just from being woken up from her nap, Snow didn't take Emma's annoyance as anything new, and her forehead wasn't feverish either. "Well, what do you say I'll give a hand, and we'll be done? Lunch is almost ready, and the weather is terrible," Snow suggested as the sound of the pouring rain on the roof grew louder as if proving her point. It was like Emma's annoyance disappeared in a wink, and she lit up a bit by her mother's suggestion. She was still tired though, but the nap, and the thought of an extra hand, gave her a small amount of energy. At least enough for her to get the task finished.

Snow didn't need the confirmation from her daughter. She could read Emma like a book, and quickly, she went downstairs to mix the feed for the horses, while Emma grabbed the pitchfork, which stood by the hay, and began throwing down bales of both straw, and hay. Within minutes, the stalls were ready for the horses, and Emma, and Snow grabbed a couple of lead ropes as they went out to get the horses inside.

Because of the thunder, the horses were a bit spooked, and therefore eager to get inside. "Easy there, guys," Emma spoke to the animals as she opened the gate to get the first two horses; Rocinante, Regina's sorrel horse, and Nicodemus, a brown horse, which belonged to Violet. Snow couldn't help, but admire Emma's handling of the horses. When her, and David had introduced her to the task a few weeks after buying the farm, Emma seemed a little bit scared of handling the horses, but now after having done this a couple of times, it seemed that, even without knowing it, Emma had quite the skills with the animals. Oddly enough though, Emma refused to get her own horse, even though she, and David had offered it to her time, and time again.

Leading the horses out, Snow got the space to grab the next two; Samson, David's grey horse, and Bullseye, Henry's paint horse. Walking inside the barn with the horses, she was met by Emma who was hurrying back towards the paddocks, "I'll just take the rest," Emma told her as she passed them. Before Snow could give an answer, or express her worry for Emma taking on leading three horses, while they were in the middle of a thunderstorm, Emma was already out on her way to the gate.

But her worry seemed to vanish as Emma came back in a short moment after with the three animals walking behind her like dogs. Quickly, she led them in, in each of their stalls; Philippe, Belle's Belgian draft horse, Gunpowder, Snow's own black horse, and Maximus, Neal's little, spotted, shetland pony. Emma patted little Maximus on the back as he walked into his stall, and closed the stall door behind him. As all horses were checked in, and the sounds of horses chewing filled the barn. Emma, and Snow began checking them all a last time.

"Still sure you don't want a horse of your own? Your father, and I are planning on expanding the barn so the rest of the horses from the old barn can be stabled here, and we would gladly give you one," Snow suggested as they walked down the stall hall. "I don't know, me, and animals are just not a good match, I think," Emma sighed a little more unsure than usual, when this question came up. She knew Snow's suggestion was about to come up sooner, or later. It always did when they were here at the barn.

Having her own horse seemed exciting, and having her mom, dad, or even Killian to teach her how to ride, so she could join them on the family rides which they took sometimes took, seemed fun, but a voice in her mind told her that it would not work.

"That's nonsense, Emma, look at how you just took on three horses without hesitation, and you had them calmed down enough to just have them walk behind you," Snow continued on, not aware of Emma growing more, and more irritated. "Could we just drop it, ok?" Emma snapped a sudden irritation came through her, and took Snow quite by surprise. Snow stopped up while looking at her daughter, who continued walking towards the barn doors to go over to the house, clearly annoyed. "Okay, then," Snow spoke out silently, and quickly caught up with Emma.

The rain was still pouring down, but the thunder seemed to have passed. Emma, and Snow quickly ran towards the house, and reached it in seconds. As they reached the front door, the smell of grilled beef filled the air, and as they walked inside, the aroma of newly baked buns made their mouths watering. "It smells wonderful, I'm so hungry," Emma stated happily as they walked in. Whatever irritation had hit her before was gone now, replaced with a warm feeling of happiness.

"I'll just go upstairs, and change clothes quickly," Emma announced as she quickly ran up to the room her mother, and father had made for her, and Killian in case of overnight stays.

As she went into the room, the sudden urge of having to use the bathroom hit her once again, and she quickly made her way to the guest bathroom, on the second floor. As she pulled down her pants, and underwear, her breath almost got caught in her throat as she saw small spots of blood on her white underwear. "What the hell?" She whispered to herself, clearly confused, and a bit frightened. Her period was done weeks before, so it didn't make sense for it to already return.

Anyway. As it turned out, sometimes having parents of her own age, proved to be quite the advantage as she reached towards the cabin, beside the toilet. Here, Snow kept the sanitary pads for both herself, and Emma. Wincing a bit as her breasts still ached a bit, she took out the package, and put the pad on. She hadn't brought any new underwear with her, so she would have to hope that she wouldn't leave spots on the chairs, or any other furniture, in the house.

During the lunch, Emma tried as best as she could to try and be engaged in the conversations around the table, but her mind seemed to drift of to her recent discovery of her spotting again. It was first when Regina's exclaim of, "YOU DID WHAT?!" came through that Emma seemed to drop off every worry she had.

Apparently, Henry had accidently spoiled the events that happened on the Jolly Roger recently. While the experience still hang on her as one of the most amazing things, Killian had ever made her do, Regina didn't seem to be as impressed, "I told you, Captain Guyliner, that if something happened, -" "but, mom, nothing happened, see? I'm still fine," Henry tried to convince his adoptive mom as she was glaring deadly at Killian who seemed to get paler by the minute. "Regina, relax, Killian had us both secured, and, -" Emma was interrupted when she, once again, felt pressure on her bladder.

"You okay, love?" Killian asked a little worried. The whole table seemed to have become silent as well. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine guys, just nature's calling," she assured them as she stood up heading for the bathroom, once again.

* * *

 **That was chapter 3!**

 **Wauw, once again I would like to thank you all for the support. The amount of favs, follows, and even reviews that I've gotten are amazing. I didn't expect it at all, so thank you so much! :)**

 **I had quite fun writing this, as I like to imagine the Charming's farm to be quite the place for family gatherings.**

 **Also, all of the horse names I came up with are original Disney horses. Regina's and Violet's horses names are the only OUAT-horse names I could find. I watched the part with David showing Henry his horse, but the name is not mentioned.**

 **Otherwise, tomorrow I'm heading towards Iceland where I'm having a vacation with my family for the rest of the week, so no chapters next week, sorry, but I'll figure out plotlines for this story while travelling :)**

 **See ya, Flaxen :)**


	4. Feeling Weird

**Feeling Weird**

 **Week 4: April:**

 **The body:** _Now it all begins. Get ready, Savior, because once baby is implanted in your uterus, the placenta starts to grow, and your heart will start beating more rapidly. That can reach up to 15 extra beats per minute. That will be until your blood volume starts catching up, but that will take weeks from now on. You will be feeling tired most of the time. Most of that extra blood is going straight for your breasts, which will result in tenderness, which also means that your nipples will show, even through your jacket. Sore breasts, expanding waistline, mood swings, fatigue, and nausea can be put on the list as well._

 **The baby:** _Your microscopic embryo is already hard at work this week, where the placenta, the umbilical cord, and the basics of the body are created. The embryo is now made of three layers that will transform into the different parts of your baby's body. The endoderm, or inner layer, will become your baby's intestines, liver, and lungs. The middle layer, or mesoderm, will become your baby's heart, sex organs, muscles, bones, and kidneys, and the ectoderm, or outermost layer, will develop into your baby's hair, skin, eyes, and nervous system. Believe it, or not, your baby is already starting to look like a tiny small being._

* * *

Signing tiredly, Emma pinched the bridge of her nose. Working with files was the least favorite part of her job, and now having to do it alone as both Killian, and her dad had their day off, she was sitting here all alone in the Sheriff's office.

As the file she was working on now was finished, she stood up, and went to the coffee machine to get her third cup this morning. Sighing a bit more from the tiredness she felt, she looked towards the windows of the station while the coffee was brewing.

The sun was shining through the blinds, and as she took her now newly brewed cup of coffee with her, she went to the window, looking out at the quite silent street of Storybrooke. Nothing was happening in the town right now, and that made one sheriff covering the station more than enough. Heck, it even made three sheriffs seem way too much, but due to this otherwise little town having its fair share of unforeseen events, which usually included some sort of a fairy tale villain, three sheriffs were needed.

Sipping at her coffee, while looking out, she raised her other arm up to support the cup, but doing so, she hit her one breasts on the way. "Mmph!" She almost choked in her coffee as the slight pain of her recently very sore breasts, shot through her, making her bend over slightly, and she grabbed onto the edge of the office table nearby her with her free hand. Carefully, she sat the cup on the table, and tried to caress the sore area, which only made her hiss further as the soreness worsened. Breathing heavily, she stood in that position until the pain had subsided.

Recently, weird things had been going on with her, and Emma feared that it was her turn to be the sick one. Though her recent trip on the ocean with both Killian, and Henry had did wonders to her, as standing on the tip of the bowsprit of the very Jolly Roger, while she was flying through the high waves, was one of the most amazing things she had ever experienced, she guessed it certainly hadn't helped her getting soaked during the trip, while a feverous bacteria had been attacking the town, and her husband had been one of the victims.

And as for today, just like the morning last week, when she along with Killian was going to help her parents at their farm, she had been sick once again, and just like last time, it had happened really early in the morning. Killian had been fast asleep during the whole 'event'. She had almost claimed defeat this morning, and was about to ask Killian if he could skip his day off so she could stay in bed as she was not feeling well, but despite knowing that Killian would take her shift without questioning, she was not at all up for a husband, and quite possible, a mom, and a dad nuzzling her in her sick state. So, despite her sickness, Emma had showed up, and with the biggest cover up smile she could master at that time in the morning, she had send her dad off who had taken the night shift that night.

Standing up again, she took her cup, and returned to her seat in the closed of office in the station. Closing the finished file, and beginning on a new, she sighed again. It was not even lunchtime, and the tiredness that she had also experienced recently, washed over her. Despite the caffeine from the coffee, she could not seem to get rid of the fatigue she felt. Yawning loudly, she began working on the new sets of papers.

* * *

Robin of Locksley seemed to be the very definition of a gentlemen. Many of the residents of Storybrooke both old, and new would be quite sure that a picture of him would be shown, if you looked up the word in a dictionary.

But recently, the man himself had been a little off, and during today as he wandered down the streets of the small town, it was clear that something was a off with the former outlaw. Normally, he would smile, and greet the people he met, especially the ladies, and the kids, but not today. With both hands in his leather jacket pockets, clutching into something hidden within the left one, he took quick, and nervous strikes along the pavement.

"Hello there, Robin," Archie greeted as he was passing by with Pongo on the leash. When not getting a greeting back as he normally would get, Archie stopped up, frowning a bit. Sensing the other man's despair, he reached out, and grabbed Robin's shoulder. The touch made Robin almost jump out of his skin as he was pulled out of his deep inner thoughts. "Pardon me, Robin, but are you alright? You seem a bit off today," Archie asked as he eyed the man in front of him. "Uhm, yeah, I'm quite fine," Robin answered too quickly, and too unsurely for his own taste, but tried to cover it up by adding a light pad on Archie's shoulder.

Sensing the lie, but also the unwillingness to talk about things as this town's residents had a quite bad habit for doing, he nodded along. "You know, my clinic is always open for a talk," he finally added, smiling at Robin."Thanks, mate, I'll think of that," Robin answered, and decided to quickly leave the conversation by walking away. Normally a chat with Archie was always enjoyable, but not today, and while ignoring Archie's worried gaze, Robin shifted his eyes towards the ground, and went along.

Stopping up abruptly outside of Granny's, Robin considered for a short notice if he should add something stronger to calm his nerves. Biting his lower lip, he decided not to. He could easily imagine several of his friends being inside of the diner right now, and if any of the town's living grapevines saw him drinking strong alcohol on this time in the morning, the rumor of him becoming an alcoholic, would be out quicker than he could shoot an arrow.

Continuing down his path on wherever he was going, he once again stopped up. This time at the entrance of the Sheriff's station. Whatever that had made him stop here, he didn't know. He knew that both of his best friends; Killian, and David were off today, and that only Emma would be covering today.

He had never really connected with Emma as they had little to nothing in common, but as he clutched the small black box in his pocket, he knew that if everything went as planned, they would soon be even closer as they would be somewhat family members.

Clutching at the small box even more, he made the decision to go for it, and went inside the building. The smell of recently brewed coffee was the first thing to hit him as he entered the station, which he didn't found weird as the caffeine filled drink was quite often made here. What he did found weird, though, was the very sight of the town's sheriff sleeping at her desk with her arms supporting her head.

Robin furrowed his eyebrows at the sight. He did remember Killian talking the other day about Emma seeming unusual tired recently even though, she did everything she could to hide it. Beside her, on the desk, stood a cup of now cold coffee. Clearly, her trying to stay awake had not been successful.

"Emma?" He tried out quietly as he gently shook her shoulder. It took a little more of calling, and a little harder shaking before Emma slowly woke up, "Uhmm...w..what?" She let out tiredly as she rose her head, rubbing her eyes. She had expected to it be either her mother, Killian, or even Henry to be the one waking her up, so her eyes widened a little in surprise at the person in front of her. "Robin?" She asked out now fully awake at the sight of the man in front of her. "What are you doing here?" She demanded tiredly as she rubbed her eyes again.

Ignoring her question, Robin took a good look at the now awake woman before him. Her features were slight pale with small, dark circles under her eyes. Clearly something was off with her. "Are you alright?" He asked her now fully forgetting his purpose here in the first place.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered, yawning a bit. Robin only nodded. If he wasn't feeling bit worried for Emma now, he would have chuckled at the irony of him now switching roles with Archie from earlier.

"Are you sure? I mean, sure it's none of my business, but falling asleep like that doesn't seem like you," he tried to press on, but Emma only shrugged him off, "just a little tired. Morning was a little tough," she added as she stretched her arms. "What are you doing here, anyway?" She asked him, trying not to sound too demanding. It wasn't normal for Robin to show up here, unless it was to greet Killian, or David.

"Both Killian, and David are off today, so.." she began, but stopped herself as she could see the man in front of her becoming slightly uneasy.

"Well, ehm..." Now that the realization of what he actually came for, hit him. "You see, ehm..I have something, I want to talk to you about, or ask you, or, or," he rambled on. His anxiety clearly shining through. Emma stood up as she laid a caring hand on his shoulders, "hey, calm down, it's okay," she assured him, and guided him towards the two desks in the open room, sitting both him, and herself down on each chair.

Calming down a bit, or trying to, Robin cleared his throat before reaching with his hand into his left pocket, and pulled out a tiny black box. "I want to ask you something," he began as he showed her the tiny box. Emma's eyes widened in shock. "Wow, wow, Robin! What are you doing?" she asked out shocked as her eyebrows furrowed as she held her hand out, worried about his actions.

Now realizing that his choice of words, and actions could be mistaken, he quickly held his other a hand out as well towards the now confused, and slightly upset Emma, "my apologizes. I didn't think things through there, but it's not for you, it's for...It's for Regina," he finally spoke out truthfully, eyeing Emma in front of him, who now breathed out, relieved. Quickly pulling herself together to the information she had just received, she spoke out, "wow," she let out looking at the box in his hand. "Can I see?" She asked as she reached her hand out a bit. Only nodding, Robin gave her the box.

Slowly, and carefully she opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond engagement ring. "Ow, wauw! It's beautiful, Robin, really. She's going to love this," Emma told him, in awe at the sight of the small jewelry. "You sure? I mean, she is, or was a queen, and I don't want to..." "hey, hey," Emma stopped him as Robin, once, again, began rambling. "Trust me. She is going to love this," she told him truthfully as she gave his arm a gentle squeeze. Closing the box carefully not to risk breaking anything, she returned the box to Robin.

"Well, honestly, it's not my biggest of worries," he added while putting the box back in his pocket. Raising her eyebrows a bit, Emma frowned at the man sitting in front of her, "what do you mean?" She asked him. Looking up at her, he cleared his throat again, "what if she refuses? I mean, given our quite weird situation with me being the father of Zelena's daughter, and having Roland too, maybe everything just get's too weird," he spoke out honestly. For some reason, Emma seemed to be quite the person to let something like that out to.

Emma couldn't help, but smile at the, nervous man, "well, you're right. It is weird," she answered him, but quickly continued as she could see that her answer distressed him even more, "but so is the fact that my parents are the same age as me, and that I've married a man who's basically, 300 years old, and that I'm sharing my son with my mother's step grandmother. Believe me when I say that I know about things being weird, but you know what? Everything for me has turned out to work perfectly together, and despite your situation, I can't imagine Regina saying no. She has been looking for her true love in forever, and you two will be the perfect pair," she told him truthfully, and she smiled at him as she could see the distress leaving the man more, and more.

Nodding along, clearly seeing her point, and getting more confident, he smiled back at her, "thank you, I really needed that," he told her honestly, and before she knew it, he embraced her in a small hug. As his chest came in contact with hers, the pain from her sore breasts made the hug almost unbearable, but sensing that he needed this as a friend in need, she bit through, but was the one to pull away first. "I'm sorry about that," he apologised sincerely, "I don't know what came over me," he added a bit unsure. Of what he knew, Emma wasn't the biggest fan of physical contact, unless she invited it herself. "It's okay," she shrugged of, sinking a bit as the soreness still hung on. "So, when is the big question going to be popped?" She asked, quickly changing the subject as she stood up.

"Well, I've bought the ring today, and I'm planning on surprising her by taking her out for dinner Friday night, and I have thought of proposing by the pond in the park, when I'm taking her out for a walk afterwards," he told her, clearly proud of his plans. "That sounds amazing. I can't wait to congrat the both of you," Emma answered out in awe. If she wasn't married off to the most handsome pirate of all realms, she would have battled Regina on Robin's affections as of right now, but of course, let it be up the great Robin Hood to be romantic as hell.

Walking together towards the entrance to the station, Emma laid a hand on Robin's shoulder as he reached for the handle. Looking back at her, he met her gaze questionly, "don't worry, she's going to say yes. I don't have any doubts, okay?" With that he only nodded speaking a quick, but honest, 'thank you', before leaving the building.

Smiling a bit to herself, Emma went back to her work, with refreshed energy. Sitting down, she began working on the file once again. Maybe this day wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

Friday Night.

How in the world her father found the patience for dealing with Leroy, or even worse, a drunken Leroy, she would never know. Emma could feel herself boiling with rage. She could have been at home, cuddling with Kilian while watching a movie, but instead, here she was, standing in the Rabbit Hole, trying to convince the drunken dwarf, along with her father, to go home for tonight. But Leroy was having none of that, and instead, he began bawling out on how it was clear that everything, and everyone was after him, and then, he began on listing everything this town needed to be fixed according to him.

"Okay, buddy, we get it, but it's time for you to go home now," David tried once again while putting a firm hand on Leroy's shoulder. Shrugging it off angrily, Leroy stumbled back, clearly off balance in his drunken state, "get your hands of me!" He yelled out. He was too out of it to realize that it was his king that he was using that tone against.

"Well, time to do it the easy way," Emma began irritated as she shook her hands, ready to send the dwarf of to one of the station's cells in a grey cloud of smoke. "No, Emma!" David called out as he reached out, and held her arm gently, but firm. "Why not? He's clearly not going to cooperate. Why not just send him off, and call it a night?" She asked him, crossing her arms even more irritated.

Signing a bit, he could see her point, but he didn't want to risk anything, "I know, Emma, I know, but you know, how I feel about magic, -" "you mean, how mom feels about magic," she interrupted him slightly more enraged. "That's true. Your mother doesn't like the use of magic, but neither do I," David finished, giving his daughter a look, "we're doing this as we are supposed to as authorities. Magic always comes with a price, remember?" He added, eyeing her again. Emma sighed in defeat, and turned her attention towards the drunken dwarf, who was now provoking one of the vikings, from the Land of Untold Stories, into a fight. "What did you say?!" Leroy shouted out, and went towards the other man enraged.

"Oh, here we go," Emma sighed, and went towards them, trying to avoid a fight coming up, "okay, everyone, just calm down! Leroy, you're coming with us. Now!" She spoke at him, but frowned as his gaze was far from fixed at her eyes, but further down south.

"Wauw, sis! You're showing some great stuff tonight!" He blurred out loudly as he kept his stare at her chest area. Looking down as well, Emma gasped a bit when she could see that her nipples was showing through her otherwise thick blouse. Quickly, she gathered herself, covered the sight off by zipping her brown leather jacket close, even though the heat inside the bar was quite high. She could feel her rage boiling even more as this situation along with Leroy had been going on for a while now, and with him now being even more provoking, she was about to let if off.

Sensing that, David quickly went to his daughter, and Leroy, trying to get things settled, "that's enough, Leroy!" He spoke at the dwarf in an angry tone. Despite him trying to keep things calm, no one was ever going to talk, or look at his daughter in that way with him watching.

Leroy had either decided to ignore David, or he had been too mesmerized by the sight in front of him even though it was now hidden away, either way, he decided to keep on trying to win the really pretty lady in front of him who he, in his drunken state, couldn't recognize, "now, now, pretty lady. Sure you don't want to, -" whatever Leroy was about to say was interrupted by a fist connecting to the side of his face, and before everything before him went black, he could hear the sound of a man yelling out "Emma!" in shock.

* * *

For an April night the air was quite chilly during this Friday. The wind was blowing slightly, and if she didn't know any better, she could have sworn that she felt tiny drops of rain falling on her face. She would never know, what had went through Robin's head when he had suggested for them to go for a small walk by the pond after their dinner.

Embracing her with one arm, Robin slowly made her walk along. The pond wasn't far away now, and he could feel the nervosity filling him. By now, everything had went on as planned; he had arranged the surprise dinner by having Zelena taking care of the kids, and had reserved the table at the restaurant all by himself. Oh, yes, Sir Robin of Locksley had become quite the 21st century man, and had learned to use technology quite fast, so making the calls was far from his biggest challenges that day.

"What are we doing out here?" Regina finally asked, trying not to sound too annoyed. "It's cold out here," she added on, embracing herself. Swallowing a bit as the bench by the pond came closer, Robin tried to collect himself as great as he could. "You'll see, dear," he whispered to her, and Regina decided to walk along, trying to enjoy the walk. After all, the sky was clear with the moon crescent shining brightly, and the stars were blinking like small diamonds. Only the street lamp beside the bench ahead of them, gave a little bit of light.

As they reached the bench, Robin eagered her to sit down. A bit shaken, he sat down beside her. Regina assumed that perhaps it was the cold, and that living in her warm mansion, instead of the woods, had made him slightly more vulnerable to the cold air, but as he collected her hands in his, and looked up at her eyes, she knew that it wasn't the cold that was troubling him.

"Regina," he began. Pulling himself together, he cleared his throat. "I know that our situation with Zelena, Jade, and even Roland might seem weird, and very complicated," he continued as he kept his gaze on her. Not wanting to interrupt him, Regina only nodded. Breathing out heavily, he gathered himself again. He could not remember ever being as nervous as now, not even when he proposed to Marian back in time.

"You, and I have been through alot together, and not that long ago, we risked being parted forever," he went on. Regina nodded again, sinking a bit. How she remembered the moment where Hades had almost stabbed Robin with the Olympian Crystal. Had it not been for Zelena blasting him away, and killing him afterwards with said crystal, things could have gone beyond wrong. "-but we have always managed to get through, and I'm forever grateful for that. Our love is true, and I want to share it with you, for the rest of our lives.

" _Everything for me has turned out to work perfectly together, and despite your situation, I can't imagine Regina saying no. She has been looking for her true love in forever, and you two will be the perfect pair."_

Lifting himself off his seat on the bench, he reached into his pocket, and pulled out the small, black box as he bent down on one knee. Opening it, the diamond ring was revealed,"Regina Mills, will you marry me?"

Regina's jaw dropped at his question, her hands covering her mouth quickly. Tears of happiness, and surprise welled up in her eyes, and she could only gather herself enough to nod. How she had dreamed of this moment ever since Tinkerbell had pointed him out in that bar way back then. "Yes! Yes, I will," she finally spoke out with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Robin's smile now went as wide as it could, and before Regina could react, Robin stood up, and pulled her into his arms. After he slipped the ring onto her finger, he took her face in his hands, and kissed her deeply.

As of in this very moment, the cold, the wind, and, now, the rain, was completely forgotten.

* * *

 **And I'm back again! Yeah! Iceland was amazing - such a beautiful country with all it's mystique and history - I just loved it, but enough about that. I'm back adding chapters to this story, and we're starting right off again :)**

 **So, I know that of right now, there's not much of a plot going on, besides the pregnancy story, but I promise you, it will come. I've been digging deep in my Danish roots (sounds a bit over dramatic, I know), and I've found one of my favorite Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales, which to some, might, seem a little more unknown, but I've found a way to make it fit (I think), and it will slowly show, when we reach later chapters :). This is OUAT after all, and I can't imagine anyone (not even myself) wanting to read a 40+ chapter story with only fluff-stuff in it. :)**

 **Otherwise, I hope you liked the Robin/Emma interaction, and also the small OutlawQueen section. As this is a CS-focused story, I also want to have focus on other pairs/characters to give the story diversity :) - also, I know that I made Leroy seem to be quite the pervert, but honestly, in a drunken state, I could see him be quite inappropriate, but not too much, you know.**

 **I don't think I have anything to add than once again, thank you for the support to this story :)**


	5. Broken Glass

**Broken Glass**

 **Week 5: April:**

 **The body:** _Now, Savior, it's a common knowledge with you that a grilled cheese with onion rings from Granny's always is a winner, but though a pregnant woman should be eating about 300 extra calories per day, it's important that it's through nutritious food. During this week, your areolas will become darker, which is perfectly normal as this is a response to the hormonal changes in your body. Also, you'll experiencing growing out of the bras you usually use, along with those lovely cases of morning sicknesses. One final thing to add:_ _constipation. During pregnancy, elevated progesterone levels cause smooth muscle to relax, which slows the passage of food through your intestines, which also increases water absorption. Another thing that 'helps' giving you constipation is your rapidly growing uterus The uterus compresses your intestines and pushes your stomach upward._

 **The baby:** _Your baby's microscopic heart begins to beat this week, but it will not be detectable before a few weeks later. The beating of the heart results in blood beginning to circulate through the small body, and the first organ system will begin working. Also, the brain, which includes; the cardiovascular, nervous, and reproductive systems are all on the way, and other major systems are on their way as well. The amniotic sac and the placenta are still forming at this point. But though a lot is going on, the baby is only about 2 millimeters long, which is about the size of a sesame seed._

* * *

Killian Jones, aka Captain Hook, was a very proud man. He could tell you thousands of tales of decades on the open sea. It was stories about how he would tame seas that no sailor had ever conquered before him, and how he would tell about battles against one savage sea monster after the other.

And that, especially, was the reason for same man to feel extremely embarrassed, and miserable by lying here; in a hospital bed, with his left leg, and foot in cast, and lifted.

The reason for that? Well, Henry had arrived at the station with Violet to make their homework there. Kilian had decided to entertain the young lads by showing them a stunt on a chair, where he would stand up on it, and let his weight balance it off to fall on the floor, and he would jump off it. Exact same stunt had, in the past, entertained, and impressed a lot of people, and he had done it a thousands of times, but this time, it had been on an office chair with wheels on. So, jumping on it had resulted in it jerking forward which had made Killian lose his balance, and he had crashed to floor.

"Killian!" The sound of his amazing, and lovely wife, calling his name as she entered his room, interrupted his thoughts. "Dr. Whale called me just a few minutes ago. He told me you were admitted," Emma gasped out slightly worried.

Having her day off, she had spend it with her parents, and her little brother, but the call from the hospital had immediately changed every plan of relaxation. Emma had heard the words; "the captain," and "accident," and that had been enough for her to hang up on the phone, telling her parents, before disappearing off in a cloud of grey smoke.

As she had entered the hospital, Emma had been greeted by both Henry, and Violet at the waiting room. Both of them had told her about the accident, and how they had to call for an ambulance to get him here. At the same moment, Dr. Whale had arrived, and had told them about the injury as well.

"Henry, and Violet told me what happened. You know, about your stunt," Emma chuckled slightly. Seeing now that he was absolutely fine, besides the leg, she couldn't help, but laugh a little bit at the imagination of the show he had put on. "Not as sure on your feet as you once were, Captain?" She asked while laughing more. Killian gave her a small frown, "hey! Hey! Here I'm lying wounded, and all my lovely wife does is laughing at me? What kind of treatment is that?" He asked in a fake-offended voice, but couldn't help laughing along too.

They were interrupted by the sound of knocking on the door. "Come in!" Emma yelled, and the door opened immediately, revealing her parents, Henry, and Violet, "so, one sheriff is down, I guess?" David spoke out as he went to the other side of the bed, patting Killian lightly on the shoulder. "Seems like it, mate. The doctor said, I have to stay here for two days, and I have to wear this bloody thing for three weeks," Killian explained as he nodded towards his plastered leg.

"I'm glad to see, you are all right. That was quite the show you gave us," Violet spoke out quietly which had Henry chuckling a bit. "Well, lass, you better appreciate that, because that was once in a lifetime moment, for both of you," Killian answered back as he pushed the button to lift his bed up a bit.

"Well, it seems like everything, besides the leg, is fine. As long as you don't become as miserable as you both were a couple of weeks ago, - " Snow began, and nodded towards David as she spoke, but was interrupted by both of them speaking out an offendedly; "hey!" "We were both close to dying, back then," Killian spoke out defensively for both himself, and David. "You were having a flu," Emma added as she entered the conversation. "A very serious one. We could barely do anything, -" "besides eating pizza, playing video games, and drinking hot chocolate with rum in it. Yes, you were both dying. I guess the rumors of the man flu is true," Snow sarcastically listed up as David crossed his arms in a offended gesture.

"Anyway," Violet chuckled lightly while looking at the clock on her phone, "I have a deal with my math group today. So I'm afraid I'll have to go now. I wish for you to get better soon, Killian," Violet spoke out as she interrupted their conversation, and waved at them. "I'll follow you!" Henry told her before helping her getting in her jacket along with her pink scarf. Smiling at him, they both went out of the room, while saying their goodbyes once again.

"I think we should be going too. I'll be taking the night shift tonight. You can cover the rest of today, is that okay with you, Emma?" At that Emma nodded, smiling at her father as he spoke to her. "Good luck with the leg, Champ," David added before patting Killian's good leg lightly, before laying his arm around Snow, and they headed out as well.

"So, that leaves just you, and me, huh?" Emma began as the room now was empty, except for the two of them.

"Aye, love, it does, but listen; you don't have to stay here for tonight. I have noticed you being a little bit off lately. You seem to be more tired than usual. I think you need the rest," Killian told her honestly. "Oh, ok," she answered a little, bit surprised by his sudden seriousness. "If you're sure, I mean, hospital rooms sucks big time. Especially when being alone. I would gladly stay here with you," she offered, but Killian shook his head slightly, "I'll be fine, love. I have to admit that I'm a little afraid that I've infected you, and even if you wouldn't admit it, I can see that you have been really tired recently. Go to work, finish off the shift, and go home afterwards, love. Tomorrow, I'll be more than looking forward to get a visit from my beautiful private nurse," he told her, while leaving a kiss on her cheek.

"Okay, then". Knowing he was right as she had been, and was quite tired now, Emma decided not to fight him on it. After all, it was 'just' a broken leg. It would have been, quite another thing, if the situation had been more serious. Standing up, she smiled at him one last time, before exiting the room, leaving Killian for his own entertainment, which was quickly seen to as Killian found the remote to the small flat screen television, which was hanging on the wall in front of him.

* * *

Walking towards Granny's for a hot chocolate, Emma wanted to get some fresh air, rather than teleporting herself, before going to the station to take over Killian's shift. While walking along, Emma couldn't help, but wonder a little bit about the weird things that had been going on with her lately;

By now, she had been caught twice in sleeping at places, and times where she would normally be fresh, and working. She felt quite tired during the day, and had been lately, and for the past, few days, a new morning routine for her had started; almost every morning at about 5 a.m, give, or take, she would wake up with terrible nausea, and it would cause her to throw up. The action caused her chest to ache terribly, and along with that, her breasts were really sore, which also had increased lately. By the end of it all, she would end up sitting up at the wall on the cold pile floor, panting heavily.

Killian would be sleeping through it all, and while she knew that, at some time, she would have to let him in on what was going on, she, at the same time, didn't want to wake him up just for her being sick. Besides, it wasn't as if he could do anything about it anyway.

Another thing she had noticed about herself lately was that she would experience her temperament going off like a rocket all of sudden. During last weekend that had ended up with a black eye for Leroy. On the other hand he did ask for it, if you asked her. Looking at her chest like that in his drunken state. Anyway. Speaking of which, she had also noticed that getting in her normal bras would take a lot more effort than usual, and she would have to bite through the soreness she felt, when tucking them in. During this morning, she had also noticed that her arousals had become a lot darker too.

Shaking her head to clear her mind, and actually watch where she was going, Emma noticed that she had already reached the familiar diner.

Walking inside, she could tell it wasn't as busy as normal. As she took a quick gaze across the room, she smiled a bit, when she spotted Violet sitting with three other girls at the last booth. Emma figured it was that math group of hers, which Violet had been talking about earlier. Henry was nowhere to be seen, and she guessed that he was either with Regina, or maybe, by himself somewhere.

After ordering her usual hot chocolate with cinnamon to go, she couldn't help, but eyeing the group of girls as she stood by the counter. They seemed to have a great time while discussing a certain math problem, and Violet hadn't noticed her at all. Henry had told her, a few days ago that math wasn't Violet's favorite topic, but Violet was the kind of girl who would fight for it anyway, and seemed to have a surprisingly strong aura of stubbornness, which had made her aim to become better. Emma guessed that it was the reason for the young girl to join a group like that. Henry had also told her that one of the girls, who had joined the group recently, was really smart, and good at math, and she was exceptional in explaining the methods she used as well.

As her chocolate arrived, Emma paid for it before grabbing her drink, and headed outside towards the station. Time for some 'fun' file work.

* * *

Same night:

The sound of glass shattering, and ruffling downstairs woke Rumple up with a set. The noise also made Belle, who slept beside him, stir. "W..what was that?" Belle mumbled as she slowly sat up.

After listening to the noise downstairs, Rumple knew exactly what it was, "robbery," he answered as he swung the covers off him, and stood up. Quickly taking on his robes, he sped through their small home, which they had build on the top of the shop, towards the their front door, which led to the staircase down towards the back of his shop. Belle followed along. Quickly, she checked on Gideon who, luckily, slept peacefully in his cribble, before following her husband.

"Be careful, Rumple," she whispered to him as he opened the front door. "It's not me who should be careful," he whispered back with his teeth clenched slightly, before switching the lights on, and stomped down the stars, making the intruders aware that the shop's owner was on his way.

The sound of more ruffling, and voices, which Rumple couldn't make out what they were saying, made it clear that there was more than one intruder, and they now were on the run.

As Rumple reached the back of his shop, he was met by the sight of books, swords, antiques, and a lots of other stuff spread across the room. Rumple looked a bit shocked at the mess, and as he stumbled across it, he could make out the shadows of two figures running into the front room. Before he could reach his hand up to stop them with magic, the sound of the bell ringing was heard, and the front door slammed with a bang.

Quickly making his way through the back, his eyes widened by surprise as he reached the front room of his shop. Whoever that was in here knew what they were after, and right now, he didn't know if they had gotten away with it.

"Oh my!" Belle shouted out in shock, and disbelief as she had made her way downstairs as well. Reaching into the front room while Rumple was slowly making his way through the shop, to see if anything from here had been taken, she went to the front door, and opened it. Outside, everything was calm as the night sky above her. No sign of anyone, "whoever they were, it seems like they got away. I'll call the Sheriff," she announced as she went inside again, and went upstairs. Rumple only nodded as an answer, and was about to make his way to the backroom again to get an overview of the mess, when he saw something in the corner of his eye.

On the wooden floor, left to the door, a pink scarf law sprawled out.

Picking it up, he smiled a bit to himself. Whoever owned this; a locater spell would do the trick, and the robbers, or at least one of them, would be found.

"Yes, we're alright, but...No, no, we didn't see who they were. They were out of here before Rumple could get them...Okay...Okay...Well, we're not going anywhere anyway. The back room is a mess, and we also have Gideon here...Okay. I'll tell him. See you soon," after hanging up her call with David, Belle went downstairs to Rumple again.

"David is on his way. He told us not to touch anything as there could be tracks, and that we should stay here. He will be here in a minute," Belle told Rumple as she went to him. She eyed the scarf in his hand, "where did you find that?" Belle asked her husband, while he nodded at her earlier announcement, but kept his stare at the scarf, "I found it on the floor beside the door. Probably from someone on guard during the robbery of my shop," Rumple told her as he folded the scarf, and laid it on one of the glass montres.

Before Belle could ask another question, the red, and blue lights from the sheriff's car illuminated through the blinds, and not before long, the front door was opened, and the former prince himself stood in the shop, "I came as soon as I could. You're both alright?" He asked even though he knew that he had popped the question through the phone, when talking to Belle a few minutes before, but he wanted to be sure now he was present at the crime scene. "Nobody's hurt, but the backroom has been vandalised," Belle told him as she closed the front door behind him.

Nodding, David followed Rumple into the back room, and he too made big eyes at the sight in front of him. "Oh," he let out as he slowly made his way into the messed up room, "it's weird though. Nothing has happened out in the front, which would means, -" "that, whoever was in here knew exactly, what they were after," Rumple finished for him, before continuing on further, "and they also knew how to break a protection spell as I have put one up for both the front, and back entries for my shop."

"They?" David asked, ignoring Rumple's interruption. "Clearly, there was more than one. I heard the voices, and caught the shadows of at least two people, but how many they were, I don't know, but one of them left this," Rumple explained to David as he lifted his hand, and the pink scarf was transported into his hand in a cloud of dark red smoke. "And with a locater spell, we can find them easily, Sheriff," Rumple told him as he handed the scarf to David.

Taking the scarf in his hand, David inspected it for a while. It was weird though. Hr somehow remembered seeing this, but he couldn't exactly put it when, or where. "Looks familiar?" Rumple asked suspiciously as he eyed David, "I don't know. I feel like I've seen it before, but maybe it's just me. Anyway. I will bring this to the station as evidence. Meanwhile, I'll ask you, Rumple, to go through everything in the back. See if you can find out if something has been stolen. I know we can find the person who owns this scar in minutes, but I think we need to know, what we are dealing with before we face them. Until then, all sheriffs will keeping our guard in this area when we're out on patrol, and keep out for suspicious behavior as well," David announced to the pair as he folded the pink fabric in his hand. Seeing them both nodding in agreement, he took one last look at the back room, before heading outside again.

Inside the store, Rumple began placing objects that wasn't shattered back in their places with magic. So far, nothing seemed to be missing, but the mess was huge, and it would probably take a while before the room was clean again. Belle went upstairs to check on Gideon, before going back, to help her husband. She couldn't help, but smile proudly at Rumple. It wouldn't have been that long ago that Rumple would, completely ignore an order like the one David just given them now, but after the last confrontation with his mother, aka the Black Fairy, he seemed to be more down to earth, and he would be listening more than he had ever been.

Outside the small pawnshop, David took a deep breath before going into the car again. Starting the engine, he pulled it into gear before driving away, heading back to station. Peace in Storybrooke seemed to have been disturbed yet again.

* * *

Next day:

Having spent the whole night in one position, Killian's back was sore as hell. Though the mattress was soft, and nice to lay on, it had been torture not being able to move the slightest. Sleep came late during the night, and just as it seemed like he had slumbered off, he was woken up by a nurse with a tray of breakfast on it.

Later that morning, Killian had fallen asleep again, but at about 11:30 a.m, a knock on the door was heard. Once again, he was disturbed in his much needed slumber, but he smiled to himself at the thought of who it probably was, 'seems like my naughty, but beautiful private nurse is coming by for a visit'.

Killian was quite surprised when the first visitor of today didn't turn out to be his lovely wife, but the crocodile himself. Killian had to, for a moment, shut his eyes tight as he desperately tried to block the disturbing imagination of the imp in a nurse costume. It made him wish for Regina to come in, and knock him out in a 100+ year sleeping curse.

"What are you doing here, Crocodile?" Killian asked clearly annoyed. Despite that it seemed like Rumple had redeemed himself, after their last, big confrontation, Killian did not like the man the slightest, and trust was the last thing he would ever give the man.

"My shop was robbed last night, and I was asked by David to come here, and wait for him, and Emma to arrive," Rumple answered honestly. Killian only nodded, but raised his eyebrows in surprise as well. Who in the, bloody hell had the nerves to break into the Dark One's place, let alone stealing from him? Killian had to admit that, whoever it was, it was quite impressive getting away with it, as well.

A few minutes of awkward silence went by as none of men had anything to say to each other. Luckily, it was cut off by the door opening again, revealing both David, and Emma.

Emma quickly went to her husband, kissing him on the lips while caressing his face a bit. Killian smiled at her, but also frowned a bit. The small dark circles under her eyes revealed that she had not been sleeping well during the night, but before he could ask her about it, David cleared his throat;

"Okay, listen everyone; Gold, first of all, I'm glad you could come," he started out, nodding acknowledging at the older man who just nodded back. "Last night, Mr. Gold's shop was robbed, and, when I arrived, the place was a mess, and the intruders were gone. We're speaking of at least two intruders. One of them was wearing this while the robbery was on," David explained as he held up the pink scarf during his filling in for both Emma, and Killian to see, before folding it, and laying it on a small desk behind him.

Unaware of it, but just like David, Emma looked at the pink fabric with the weird feeling of having seen it before, "we could use a locator spell to see who owns it," Emma suggested, looking a Rumple, slightly wondering, why they hadn't done that already. "That was my suggestion too, dearie, but as your father called quite correctly, I had to see if something was stolen before facing the thieves," Rumple explained calmly. "And did you find anything missing?" David asked, looking at Rumple while crossing his arms firmly.

"As in matter of fact I did. Whoever broke into my shop last night went, as we know, specifically for the back of my shop. Nothing in the front was stolen. After spending the night cleaning the room with the help from Belle, I found the one of my books are missing: 'Duplication of Magical Objects, and Beings". The titles speaks for itself; it's a guidebook for copying magical objects as well as magical living creatures, but not humans." Rumple began explaining while the three sheriffs were listening intensively.

"What level of magic are we talking about?" Emma asked, looking at the man with a serious look. "Well, Mrs. Swan, it can be anything actually. We could potentially be dealing with someone who would duplicate Excalibur, or even my dagger, but it could also be as harmless as a magical mushroom," "- but something doesn't add up. With a book like that, how come you have never used that in our earlier situations?" Killians asked the man with calm, but suspicious tone;

"Because, pirate, as we all know, magic always comes with a price, and so it does especially, when duplicating it." "What could happen?" Emma asked again a little nervous for the answer. "Actually, it would mostly hurt the user itself. Duplicating magic is not something you just do. Besides often needing certain things from different realms to even start the duplication, you have to know exactly, what you are doing. For example, recreating my dagger in order to kill me, and get the Dark One's power would not work, and would result in user of it being killed instead. It can be used to command me, but I would be able to disobey certain commands, like killing people, which I wouldn't be able to do with the real one. The magic from a duplicated objects, or beings, will work to a certain point, but that's when things would start to fail for those, who use it. There is never anything, like the real thing," Rumple explained, and cleared his throat, "but now to real catch, because as of right now, beside the three of you now, only two people in this town has the knowledge about the book; me, and the author," Rumple announced, smirking a bit at the shocked faces in front of him.

"You mean, Henry?" Emma asked out clearly shocked. "Unless we have gotten a new author overnight that even I haven't heard about then yes, dearie. It seems like my own grandson is behind this," Rumple answered the wide eyed woman. "B-but Henry would never do something like that. Please, Rumple let me talk to him. He would be honest with me, and we will figure this out," Emma pleaded the older man. Rumple looked at her as he kept his gaze on the Savior for a while. He made his decision, and nodded, "very well, Mrs. Swan, talk to your son. Whatever he is up to, I hope he will tell you the truth. I think I'll return to my home for now," Rumple answered, and before anyone could react, he nodded his goodbyes, before disappearing in a cloud of dark red smoke.

As he disappeared, Emma let herself fall back. "I can't believe it," she whispered out loud, enough for both Killian, and David to hear. Both of them looked slightly worried at her as she buried her face in her hands. This was the last thing she needed right now. Unknowing to Killian, and her father, last night had been hell to her. Not only had she dealt with her sickness in the morning. During the night, before that, she had spent what felt like, hours in the bathroom as she had fought against very a bad case of constipation.

"Hey, hey, sweetheart, we'll figure it out," David assured her, before bending down in front of his daughter, giving her soothing, and gentle squeezes on her arms with his hands. Killian reached out, and added another hand to gently stroke her golden hair, "Emma, love, I'm sure there's a good explanation for whatever the young lad has put himself into this time," "but why would he break into Rumple's shop?" Emma asked out slightly desperate, looking at both of them. Sighing out loudly, she tossed her arms in air, suddenly feeling slightly enraged, "I bet it's some kind of crazy ass villain, who's threatening him now! And I swear, if -" "easy, love, easy. What have gotten into you all of sudden?" Killian asked her slightly worried. Looking at the worried gazes of both husband, and dad, she tried to calm herself down. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "Just a little shocked that's all". Nodding along, David laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"You know what? I think I should talk to the lad," Killian announced all of sudden. Blinking a bit at him in surprise, Emma sat up a bit, "you sure?" she asked a bit unsure. "Aye, love. Listen, I have to be honest; you have not been yourself lately, and as I said yesterday, I think, I've might infected you with that flu that has been going around, and I think you should go home, and rest." Killian explained to her while caressing her soft cheeks.

"You're sick?" David asked her worried as Emma nodded slightly, "to be honest, I have felt quite odd lately. Maybe you're right," Emma answered honestly. She decided to leave out her vomiting at the mornings. There was enough drama to be dealt with now.

"Okay, then. I agree with Killian. Call Henry, and ask him to meet here after school, and you get to stay home for the day, unless something major happens," David told them which they both nodded agreeingly at, and shortly after, Emma stood up, and kissed her husband, and hugged her dad, before exiting the room to call her son, and to go home after that.

David left shortly after, completely forgetting the pink scarf he had left, on the desk.

* * *

Later, same day:

"Are you sure it's okay for me to go in as well? I mean, your mother asked for only you to come by," Violet explained a little unsure as both her, and Henry stood outside of Killian's hospital room.

"I'm sure, it's fine," Henry assured his girlfriend. "It's probably not that important," he shrugged off as he knocked on the door. Waiting a bit for an answer he was surprised, when nothing came. Knocking again, a bit harder, Henry wondered if they were even standing by the right door. "It was 103, wasn't it?" He asked Violet, who nodded along, also wondering of the lack of response.

Slowly, Henry turned on the handle, slowly opening the door, sticking his head inside the room. "Oh, I see," he whispered.

Inside, Killian was fast asleep in his bed, snoring slightly. Not long after David, and Emma had left the room, a nurse had come in with some pain relief medicine for his leg, which had knocked him out a few minutes later, forgetting everything about their deal. "I think we should let him sleep, whatever he wanted to talk to you about can wait, I guess?" Violet whispered as they went inside, while looking at the sleeping man in front of them.

"I agree. Let's go," he told her, and they were about to go outside when Violet stopped up suddenly. "What is it?" Henry asked, frowning a bit. "My scarf!" Violet almost shouted out. "I couldn't find it yesterday, I must have forgotten it here," she whispered as she quickly got the pink fabric from the desk, before heading out with Henry.

Kilian slept along. Not noticing a thing.

* * *

 **Uhhh...so, things starts to happen now...:)**

 **So yes, now a second plot will begin going on, and it will follow along to the end. Also, the revealing of the pregnancy is close as well, so just wait :)**

 **I don't think I have much to add as I would hate accidentally spoiling anything. I can add though that the plot with Killian breaking his leg during the chair stunt was indeed inspired by the actor of Killian Jones, Colin O'Donoghue having an accident with same said stunt.**

 **So, once again, I thank you all for the support.**

 **Flaxen.**


	6. Sick Mornings

**Sick Mornings**

 **Week 6: May:**

 **The body:** _During this week, you'll be hit by even more nausea, and exhaustion. This is all due to a huge amount of hormones raging through your body. Extreme exhaustion is_ _actually one of the first signs of pregnancy, but don't worry. By the time you enter the second trimester, your body will regain some of its strength. Constant exhaustion can really wear you down, so make sure to rest up as much as you can, Savior. Moderate exercise like small walks, and gentle stretching can be helpful in tackling exhaustion._

 **The baby:** _This week starts a period of rapid cellular development for your baby, who, right now, looks like a mini tadpole with a tiny head, and tail. The eyes, ears, and mouth are starting to form. Also, the heart now starts to be beat more regularly, but it's still too faint to hear. The arms will also, slowly, start to form as well, but as of right now, they look like teensy swollen bumps at this point. In a few days, they'll resemble itsy-bitsy flippers. Your baby has grown to 1/8 inch long - about the size of a chocolate sprinkle._

* * *

"Emma, dear, are you feeling alright?" Granny asked a bit worried as she noticed the way one of the town's sheriffs, and also the Savior, was pinching the bridge of her nose while clinging to the edge of the counter, with her other hand, which she leaned on, and her head nodded slightly.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thank you," Emma shrugged off as she stood up slightly, trying to look more fresh. "Night shift, you know," she added, and smiled at the elder lady as she rubbed her eyes. Relieved that it didn't seem to be more serious, Granny smiled sympathetically at her, "I see," she answered, "but shouldn't you be home, and in bed then?" She asked while she keyed in the payment for Emma's upcoming coffee into the cash register. "I should, but while Killian is in the hospital, David, and I have to cover up for his shifts, and I have to pick him up today as well, and now we have to figure out, who robbed Mr. Gold's shop the other night, so.." she explained as she fished her wallet up from her pocket to find the cash to pay.

"I see. I wish you great luck with it all," Granny smiled, "your coffee is coming up," she finally added before turning around to get the hot drink. Emma nodded, and smiled a 'thank you'.

While tapping slightly on the counter, Emma couldn't help, but think of the whole situation with Henry. It had plagued her the whole night while on shift, and it had taken everything in her not to transport herself to Killian's room to hear what they had talked about, but he needed the rest after his accident.

During the night, nothing had happened, and she had been so desperately tired that she had tried to sleep on one of the very, uncomfortable beds in one of the cells, at the station, and had barely slept through the night as the hard mattress, and her worries did little to help. At the morning, she had been sick, like the way she had been for weeks now, but this time, it had hit, not once, but her twice. Just as she had been exhausted enough to almost fall asleep for about an hour on the hard mattress, she had found herself rushing into the small bathroom, in the station, once again.

The sickness had taken quite the toll on her, and she had been feeling like on the stage of breaking down when she had discovered that the station was out of instant coffee, and that Grannys was yet closed. At least, she had agreed with her father to meet her at the hospital. She had not been in the mood for her him to show up, and find her in that state of misery.

"Here you go,"Emma was abruptly interrupted in her thoughts when a cup of coffee-to-go suddenly was placed on the counter, in front of her, and she had to shake her head, and blink a couple of times as she came back to reality; "thank you," she stuttered a bit before she grabbed the cup, and headed out of the diner.

The hospital was only a few blocks away from the hospital, and while Emma had thought of taking her small bug for the short drive, she decided to cover the distance on foot. The weather was nice with the sun shining brightly from an almost cloudless sky, and the temperature was getting warmer as spring was slowly shifting into summer.

As Emma made room for new customers to go into the dinner while greeting a 'good morning' to each, she made her way away from the diner, and down towards the hospital.

* * *

At the hospital, same morning:

"I'm afraid I have some bad news for you, captain," Dr. Whale began as he entered the pirate's room. "The x-rays of your leg, and foot we took yesterday, I analyzed last night, and I'm sorry to inform you that you'll have to stay here for at least: two more nights". "What?! But you said the other day that I could leave today!" Killian shouted out shocked, and quite annoyed. "I know, but I underestimated your injury, and it'll need more time to rest before you begin to walk on it again".

Killian dropped his head back into pillow, and groaned out loudly in annoyance. Dr. Whale smiled sympathetically at the man, and was about to say something more, when his pager suddenly began beeping. Looking at it, he rushed out of the room, leaving Killian all alone.

Sinking a bit while having his eyes closed, Killian tried to stay as calm about the situation as possible. Two nights in this bloody hospital had been more than enough. Facing two more seemed barbaric. He wanted to get out of here, and while he knew it would take a lot of time before he could walk, and run, like he used to, he urged for the freedom which he certainly was restrained from while laying here.

By around 10:00 am, a knock on the door sounded. Killian turned off the television, which he was watching. He knew who it was, and what they were about to discuss, or in his case; what he was about to confess.

"Morning! How's the patient?" David asked as he entered the room. Striding over to his best friend, they clasped their hands together in a manly gesture, with David patting Killian's shoulders, with the other hand. "Could've been better. I was just told that I have to stay here for at least two, more, days," He groaned as David sat on the chair besides Killian's bed. "You're kidding?" David asked out a little shocked, "but I thought, you were going to leave, today". "So did I, mate, but Dr. Whale just came in, and told me otherwise; apparently, this bloody leg is not healing the way he thought it did. Yesterday they took pictures of my leg, and he had looked at them last night," Killian explained further. David only nodded along, and patted his friend's healthy leg before getting up again, "I'm sorry to hear that, buddy, but hopefully you'll get out soon. Both Emma, and I are missing you at work, and I bet she misses you at home too".

"And speaking of her, where is she? I miss the company of my beautiful wife" Killian spoke out as he looked at the watch which hang over the door. They had agreed on meeting here around 10:00 am, this morning, unless something came up, but after about ten minutes of waiting, the last member of the sheriff staff, showed up.

"Sorry, I'm a bit late, but I desperately needed this," Emma spoke out as she came into the room, and showed of the now empty coffee-cup, in her hand. Quickly, she threw out the cup in the small trashcan in the room, before she walked over to her husband and gave him a quick, but tender kiss on his lips, "so, is the pirate ready to get home today?" She asked as she sat down on the chair, beside his bed. "Well, love, about that -" Killian began; "-what? Is there something wrong?" She asked a bit worried as she interrupted him mid sentence; "nothing too serious, love, but I'm afraid the doctor told me to stay here for more days, " he explained as he looked at her to see her reaction. "Oh, okay," she stuttered out a bit lost for words. Despite her tiredness, and sickness, she had looked forward to get him home again. Deciding that she would just go with it, despite her nerves heating up inside, she bit it in herself, and smiled back at him. She reached out with a hand, and gently caressed his face, "well, a few days more it'll be, then."

David decided to interrupt the short love-scene by clearing his throat, before speaking out, "regardless, we are here to hear what Henry told you last night". While David spoke, Emma could only watch as Killian's face cringed more, and more, "Killian are you ok? Are you in pain?" She asked in a bit of worry as she stood up afraid that his leg was causing him too much pain to focus. "No, that's not it, love," Killian assured her, but his features didn't become calmer by that, "I have a confession," he started as he slowly gazed between Emma, and David, "yesterday, after you went away, a nurse came in, and gave me some painkillers. They must have been really strong, because I don't remember anything, except waking up hours later, and I was taken into the x-rays shortly after," Killian explained honestly.

Emma sighed deeply, so did David. While she knew that, on the bottom line, this was not Killian's fault as he had no control over something like that, and she knew as well that his body needed the rest, but at the same time; by not having any other clue, it pretty much looked liked Henry had been a part of a robbery, and the only evidence they had, was that pink scarf, which, by the way, wasn't here? "Emma, love?" Killian asked out a bit unsure seeing that his wife was looking around, deep in thought. He wanted to know, what was going on in there.

"I'm sorry," she spoke out. "I was just thinking of that scarf you had yesterday, dad, where is that?" She asked her father looking at him, ignoring Killian for a moment. "I laid it there," he started out as he turned towards the small desk in the room, where he remembered seeing it the last time, "or maybe not," he proclaimed as there was no sign of the pink fabric. "Maybe, I brought it with me, or maybe, -" -or"maybe the owner took it, or maybe Mr. Gold had enough, and came back, and took it. Either way, we have now, lost our only evidence, and we still haven't heard Henry's side of the story, yet, but here we are, three sheriffs, who should be able to have something like that under our control without any problems!" Emma suddenly rambled out, clearly enraged while she tossed her arms in the air.

"Hey, hey, hey, love, easy there." Killian soothed as he reached out, and squeezed her shoulder. The touch made her calm down a bit. It was like a replay from yesterday, when she had been slightly upset as well. While she took some deep breaths, trying to control her emotions, David took a good look at his daughter. Lately, she had not been herself, and while he remembered Killian talking about her apparently getting the flu, which they had been hit by, some time ago, he was a bit worried that she was pushing herself too hard. Deciding to take lead, he clasped his hands together, getting the attention from both Emma, and Killian;

"All right, let's get an overview here; last Saturday, Mr. Gold's shop was robbed during the night, and a book, which can guide people to duplicate magic, was stolen. When I came by the shop same night, after the robbery happened, the only evidence we found was a pink scarf, since the robbers were gone. Mr. Gold proclaimed to have heard the voices, and seen the shadows of more than one person, and the only other person to know about the now stolen book, at that point, was Henry."

Sinking a bit before continuing, he looked towards Emma, and Killian who both nodded along, giving him signs that they were listening, and understood.

"Emma, is Henry going to stay at yours or Regina's tonight?" He asked his daughter. "He's going to stay at Regina's. Regina called me yesterday, and asked me. She said, she had something important to tell him," she told her father, smirking a bit to herself as she had quite the feeling of, what they were going to talk about. "Very well then. I suggest that either you, or I go over there this afternoon, to talk with him. It depends on if you're up for it, though," he suggested as he eyed her. "Or, we can both go over there. Basically, I don't care, but we need to get his side of the story as quick as possible, before Gold decides to take action," David quickly added as he could see Emma becoming a bit conflicted at his first attempt, and he understood her perfectly. Interrogating her own child, and with his adoptive mom on the side as a witness too, it did seem quite overwhelming. Her expression became more relaxed by his second approach, and that was all he needed, "okay. It's a deal then. By 17:00 pm, we're going over there. I'm going to call Regina, and give her a heads up. Meanwhile, Emma, I think you should get home, and rest, honey. I can see that you're tired after a long night at the station," he told her, his voice shifting from firm to soothing.

Emma didn't really had the energy to protest, and nodded along in agreement, as she began standing up. David had already left the room, after saying a quick goodbye to Killian, and Emma was about to do the same, but before she could go away, Killian grabbed her arm a little tight, making her turn towards him a bit confused. As she looked at him, he could see that she was not looking too good, and while he knew she was a proud woman, he hoped she would be honest with him this time. "Tell me, love, are you alright? You don't seem well, and you haven't been for a while. If you're sick, please be honest with me. I know this case is not helping either, especially with Henry being a suspect, but please, don't push yourself too hard, love. I would hate for you to become sicker". While at first hand, she was about to wrench her arm away from his grip, she couldn't help, but feeling a warmth sparking in her at his worry, how could she not?

Deciding to be honest with him, she sat down again, "I haven't been feeling that well to be honest. Actually, for the past few days, I've been sick in the mornings," she admitted to him, but decided to shrink down the timeline as she knew that she they were actually talking weeks, here. Sitting up, a little shocked by her admittance, he looked at her a bit worried, "really? How?" He asked her, "it has happened early in the mornings. I've been woken up by feeling nauseated, and have thrown up.""Oh, love, I'm so sorry. I've been sleeping through the sound of seasick people for decades. I've probably not heard anything," he apologized as he, once again, brought his arm towards her, but this time, he reached over behind her, and grabbed her other shoulder to slightly pull her towards him. "It's not your fault. Besides, it hasn't been the prettiest of sights," she chuckled a bit, and laid her head on his chest as he rubbed her arm. "I know, love, but I would have loved to help you. Right now, I'm stuck here for, at least, two more nights, but please, love, if it happens again, when I get home, don't hesitate to wake me up. I know, I can't do much about it, but I don't want you to suffer alone," he whispered to her. His voice was so soothing to her ears, so was the warmth from his body as she listened to his promises, and if she stayed here like that, she was sure she would doze off.

Raising herself up again, she smiled at him through her tiredness, and caressed his hair. "I will" she promised him, and slowly stood up. "I think I'll get home, and get some rest. That night shift was quite rough," she spoke out as she stretched her arms out. The feeling seemingly to refresh her for a bit. "Aye, love, I'll stay put, since I don't have much of a choice," he smiled at her, glad that she had been honest with him. He decided not to press her into getting checked here, at the hospital. Though Emma had evolved from the closed off woman she had been in the past, he knew that, that part of her still lingered, and too much pressure could make it come back. Decisions like that were for her to make, on her own grounds.

Bending down to give him a 'goodbye', and 'see you tomorrow'-kiss at the same time, she smiled at him before heading towards the door, and left the room.

* * *

At Regina's, same afternoon.

Emma yawned slightly as she stood with her dad by the frontdoor of Regina's mansion. Though she had been sleeping almost as soon as she got home, after eating lunch, she still felt quite exhausted.

The sound of the doorbell, which they had just pushed on, still lingered in the air, and not before long, footsteps behind the door was heard, and the door opened up, revealing Regina who smiled welcomingly at them.

"Hello there, come in," she smiled at them, and gestured with her hand to let them in. "Thank you, Regina. I'm glad, we could come on such short notice," David told her as they went inside, of the great house. "From what you told me in the phone, I could tell it was, quite urgent, but I haven't told Henry about you coming by," she instructed them as Emma, and David took off their jackets, and hung them on the coat stand.

While walking into the living room, Emma couldn't help, but eye Regina's left hand, and sure, there it was. The ring. She had said yes! Emma smiled widely to herself, remembering the nervous, and stuttering Robin who had visited her at the station, a few days ago. Seeing that man in such distress of Regina's possibly refusal had tucked at Emma's heartstrings, and she couldn't be more happy for him, or for both of them as she now had the confirmation. Biting her lower lip a bit, she decided to keep quiet, and let the news be lifted by the couple themselves.

"Hello there, Henry!" David greeted the young teenager as they went into the living room. Henry was sitting on the couch, in the big living room, while texting on his phone. "Hey there, gramps!" Henry called out as he lifted his head towards David, and became a bit surprised, and confused when he saw both his grandfather, and, biological mother coming his way. It didn't took long for him to figure out that they weren't here for a family visit. A new crisis had probably occurred, but nonetheless, he stood up, hugging them both before Emma, and David sat down on the couch, on the other side of the glass coffee table.

While Regina wanted to serve her guests with coffee, and some sweets, she also wanted to hear what all of this was about. David had only told her that they would come by to ask Henry about something which he didn't explained further.

"Okay, kid, listen; you might already know that we're not here for a family gathering," Emma started out. She wanted to get straight to the point. Henry only nodded being a little nervous. He could feel his mother being quite serious, and he knew right then that something serious had happened. "Okay, listen; during the middle of the night, last Saturday, Mr. Gold's shop was robbed," Emma informed her son, looking at him closely for any sign of recognition, but to her surprise, he seemed honestly, shocked.

"Why have I not been informed about this?" Regina asked out suddenly as shocked as well. "You're supposed to report stuff like to me," she continued quite annoyed, while crossing her arms, as she sat down beside Henry, and was about to speak further, when David held out his hand to stop her.

At that point, Emma was quite glad that her father was with her. She hadn't considered an irritated Regina to be a part of this interview.

"I know, Regina, but we have decided to keep quiet about it, until we have heard Henry's side -" "-my side?!"

David was interrupted by the boy's sudden outburst. Emma could see the distress in her son's eyes, so now it was time for her to take over, "-yes, kid, I'm afraid so, as of right now, you're in the suspicion zone," she told him without hesitation, and before he could say anything else, she continued, "Mr. Gold's shop was robbed, and the stolen object was a book," before she continued, Emma reached back into her left jean pocket, and took her phone out, and opened her notes. "It's a book called: Duplication of Magical Objects, and Beings," she read out from the note. Book titles was not her thing, and she had written it down so she could remember it.

"- And Gold told us that beside himself, of course, only you knew about the book before the robbery. So, kid, now we're letting you tell your side of the story," Emma finished off while looking dead seriously at him, but her insides calmed down a bit, when she could still see, and sense the innocent features in his expression. Clearing his throat, Henry shifted a bit in his seat, before speaking out. He could clearly sense the seriousness from his mother, and feel the eyes of David, and his other mom, boring into him, "okay," he started out, and cleared his throat again, "yes, it's true. I know about that book," he told them honestly, while looking into their eyes. "I knew about because, -" he trailed off a bit unsure, considering if he should tell them, but decided to as he could see his mother's eyes pleading for him to tell them everything he knew. "Back when you became the Dark One, I...I wanted to get the quill back, to see if..." "-to see if what?" Emma asked out, accidentally interrupting him. The urge for him to tell them was too much, and she was very impatient, but she knew, she had to stay calm. Muttering an apology, she waved her hand for him to continue;

"-Too see if I could rewrite things so that you would be back to normal," he finished off, and at that Emma couldn't help, but give him a touched smile, but quickly gathered herself again, before shifting in her seat a bit. "So, when Mr. Gold came back, after you had captured him, I went to him, and asked for something to help recreating it. He told me briefly about the book, and showed it to me, but he warned me that duplicating magical objects could be dangerous, and it would probably backfire in ways I wouldn't have seen coming, and that it would probably do more harm than good, so I decided to let the idea go. That's how I know about the book," he finished off, looking at all three of them.

"I don't know anything about the robbery. I was here during Saturday night. Mom, you told me to meet with Killian, to talk about something, which I can now figure out, was about this. Both me, and Violet arrived at his room at the time back then as we agreed on, but he was sleeping when we came into his room, and we decided to let him, and left shortly afterwards. After that, Violet went home to her father, and I thought that you would at the hospital with Killian during the night" Henry told them, eying his mother especially, who just nodded.

Regina cleared her throat a bit, "I can confirm that. Henry was here with me that night".

Emma's 'superpower' of detecting lies was on its highest radar right now, but as far as she could sense, she hadn't spotted anything in either Henry's, or Regina's words, or expressions that could indicate of them lying to her, and David. Shaking her head, she decided to trust them both, "I believe you, kid. I can tell that you're honest," she told him smiling at him a bit as she could see he instantly became relieved.

"So, with this book, you can recreate magical objects? Why haven't I heard of that?" Regina asked out a bit confused as she sat slightly forward, with her chin resting on her a, slightly fisted knuckles. "Yes, you can, and it can be used to recreate anything, but a huge price comes with it, and it would often backfire. Gold told me that he, himself, had never used it, but he had heard several stories about people trying to recreate different things, and they had failed miserably, and, even fatally. Also, working on the recreation can be dangerous as some of them requires for you to either go to different realms, or do really advance spell creations." Henry explained to them now much calmer as he could feel that he had his family's trust.

"Well, then, maybe we should just wait it out then? I mean, if it turns out to backfire for the person, he, or she will probably reveal themselves, whether they want to, or not" Regina suggested as she sat up, and back into the couch, while resting her hands on the black skirt, she was wearing.

"We could do that, of course, but knowing Gold, I think he's, pretty urgent to find out, who did it as soon, as possible, and he could potentially become vigilant. "Of course, hadn't thought of that," Regina mumbled and drummed with her fingers slightly.

"Henry, do you remember if you have told anyone about the book, recently?" Emma asked her son, hoping there could be a small clue there. Henry closed his eyes, trying to think back, but nothing came to him, "I'm sorry mom. I can't deny that I haven't told either Violet, or some of my other friends about it," he told her honestly, and Emma just nodded, and leaned back on the couch, relaxed by the soft material, and now that the thought of Henry, as a potential thief, was lifted from her shoulders. An extreme exhaustion came over her, and slowly, without anyone noticing, her eyes closed.

"Okay. Now that we've got that out of the way, we only have one clue now, which is a pi -" "Hello! We're home!" The sound of the front door opening, and the voices of Zelena, and Robin was breaking through, and interrupted David's talk, and everyone's attention on the subject, and suddenly, the room was filled with laughter as they both walked in with Robin carrying Roland in his arms, and Zelena with baby Jade in hers. "Hey there! Wow! It's quite the gathering, I see" Robin commented lightly, but toned down a bit as he could sense the quite serious tone in the room, and so did Zelena, "is there something wrong?" She asked them as she shifted Jade in her arms.

"No, or yes, but things are not as serious as we thought for a moment" David began forgetting, what he was about to say earlier, and explained a bit further, "there has been a robbery at Mr. Gold's shop, and for a moment, Henry was one of the suspected, but it turns out: he's all innocent". "Wow, whoever that is, it takes quite the nerves to rob the Dark One's shop" Zelena commented, and looked at David, "what was stolen?" She asked, curiosity getting the better of her. "A book. A book about duplicating magical objects. The thieves got away, but we'll be looking out for them" David finished off deciding not to give too many details, with that many people in the room now.

"Either way, I think we're finished here, so I think we'll be going home now. Right, Emma? Emma?" David, and everyone else in the room turned towards the blonde, when no answer came, and, they all became quite surprised, when they saw the Savior fast asleep, on the couch. Sitting down again, David gently laid the back of his hand against her forehead. He sighed out a bit relieved, when he couldn't feel any heat from a potential fever. "Is she alright?" Regina asked him, slightly worried. This was weird. Emma had been with them, and seriously focused just a few minutes ago, and now, she was sleeping? That didn't make sense at all. "She's just sleeping, but both Killian, and I are suspecting that she has been infected by the flu that hit the town some time ago" David explained as he gently caressed Emma's cheeks.

Robin stood by, and watched silently. Placing Roland down on the floor, he told the small boy to go to his room, and play with something, which the kid did immediately. Robin stood up again, and cleared his throat, "David, you should know; it's not that long ago, I found her sleeping like that at the station". While Robin knew that this had been between Emma, and him, he also felt that her father deserved to know the truth. "Really?" David asked at bit shocked, looking at Robin with his eyes slightly wide. Turning back to his daughter, who hadn't stirred for even a bit, he gently tucked some hair strands back behind her ear. "She has been carrying a lot on her shoulders recently. When both Killian, and I were sick, she took every single shift during those weeks, and also the night shifts," David explained out to the people in the room while keeping his eyes on Emma. "- and if she's getting sick as well, and having Killian at the hospital, and now this, I think it's taking its toll on her," he explained further as he laid his hand on Emma's shoulder, and caressed it with his thumb.

"Should we let her sleep here?" Regina asked a bit unsure. While Regina would gladly offer the couch, the position in, which Emma was sleeping in, didn't seem comfortable on the long run. "No, I'll take her home to the farm. She's staying with us tonight," David assured them all, and stood up, and bent down to take Emma in his arms, but it seemed like the movement around her, disturbed her sleep, and she began stirring. Opening her eyes slowly, she blinked to clear her vision, and was met by the worried stares of everyone in the room. "Did I fall asleep again?" She asked out, tiredly as she sat up, while rubbing her eyes. "Yes, you did. Emma, sweetheart, are you feeling ill?" Her father answered, and asked her at the same time, and while, normally, she would hate it when he spoke to her like that in front of so many people, she was too tired to react, "not ill, but really tired," she answered honestly while yawning a bit. "Okay, listen, Emma, you're going to stay at the farm tonight," her father told her, which she just nodded at, and began standing up, smiling apologetic to the others in the room.

"While everyone is awake, and before they're leaving, should we break the news?" Regina suddenly asked out, and eyed Robin with a big smile. That got everyone's attention from Emma to Regina, and now a quite excited atmosphere spread out in the room, and while Emma had a feeling of already knowing, which she got confirmed by Robin's mouth speaking out a silent 'go ahead, darling', and winked at Emma afterwards, she decided to stay silent, and just go along with the surprise with the rest of the group.

"Why, tell us!" Henry spoke out excited, and everyone grew both wide eyes, and smiles as Regina stretched out her left hand for everyone to see, revealing the diamond ring, on her ring finger. "Robin, and I are engaged" Regina announced with a smile so big, and her eyes glittering with happy tears. She could not believe it, but saying out loud, it confirmed the reality."Oh my! Congratulations!" David spoke out as the first one, and went to hug both Regina, and Robin who he gave some manly pats on the shoulders, "congratulations, man!"

Henry couldn't have been more happy for his adoptive mom. This was a moment he knew, she had waited for in literally forever, and now, his family was growing even bigger. Hugging his mother tight, he congratulated her as well, and soon went to Robin too. Zelena as well shared her congrats with both of them.

Though she already knew, Emma decided to go along with the surprise, and when she, and everyone else had congratulated, shared hugs, and heard about early wedding plans, Emma could feel the exhaustion taking over her body again, and she definitely didn't want to be caught sleeping again. Luckily, it didn't took much convincing for David to take them home.

Emma fought a lot to stay awake during the ride, and she innerly thanked her father for not bringing her sleeping at Regina's up in either the car, or, when they arrived home, at the farm.

Dinner was quickly sorted as everyone were tired from a long day, either from sheriff work, or working at the school, and the barn. The news about the upcoming wedding, though, had Snow becoming immediately excited, and that had, pretty much been the main subject for the rest of the night, until Emma couldn't fight her exhaustion anymore.

After saying her goodnights, she went to her, and Killian's room on the second floor, and as soon as she had dressed herself in her night clothes, which she had here, she fell asleep as soon as she laid her head on the pillow.

* * *

The next morning, at the Charming's farm:

The now usual feeling of nausea woke Emma up with a set, and as she recognized her surroundings, she as quietly as she could, took her covers off, headed out of the bedroom, and out on the hallway.

Trying not to run, but not being too slow either as she could feel her stomach turning, she quickly went downstairs towards the bathroom, down there. While there was a bathroom for guests up on the second floor as well as the third bathroom, which was connected to the master bedroom, Emma feared it was too close to her parents, and she innerly hoped that what was about to happen next, wouldn't wake them up.

It was almost too late, when she almost threw the door open, and quickly went inside, and locked the door behind her, before she headed to the toilet, and emptied her stomach as soon as she kneeled down on the pile floor.

Gagging, and coughing, she grabbed onto the toilet bowl for dear life. Her energy left her along with the contents in her stomach, and when she was finished, she sat on the floor, against the wall, panting heavily. Her hair clamped to her sweaty face. Not knowing exactly how long she had been sitting here, she suddenly felt the nausea returning, and once again, she vomited into the toilet.

Feeling now that she was completely finished, after the second round, Emma stood up weakly, and flushed the toilet. She went to wash both hands, and mouth, and quickly she went outside, and upstairs again.

Unfortunately, on her way towards her bedroom, she met her mother, who was on her way to do the morning routines in the barn. "Emma? What are you doing?" Snow whispered as she saw her daughter up at this time in the morning. "Honey, are you okay?" Snow asked more worried as she eyed her daughter's features. She appeared slightly pale, and sweaty.

Not having the energy to fight it, Emma decided to be honest, or at least a bit, "I think, I've caught a stomach bug of some sort. I was just sick. I went downstairs, so you wouldn't wake up," she told her mother, her voice hoarse, and raspy from vomiting.

"Oh no, sweetheart, you didn't have to do that, come here," Snow assured her daughter, and she gently guided Emma into her bedroom, and helped her laying her down on the bed. "You're taking the day off, honey, when I'm done in the stables, I will inform your father that he will be on guard today," Snow told her as she smoothed back some of Emma's, sweaty, and matted hair. "But he took the night shift, didn't he?" Emma asked her, trying to sit up slightly, but was pushed back. "Shh, shh, honey. He made the calls to the station go to his phone directly, and have stayed here during the night," Snow informed her, and gently tucked her in. Emma couldn't help but kick herself mentally. Why hadn't she thought of doing that yesterday night? But soon, the exhaustion got the best of her, and not before long, she was fast asleep.

Snow stayed a couple of minutes to make sure her daughter was well enough for her to leave. "Sleep well, sweetheart," she whispered, and kissed Emma lightly on the forehead before she stood up, and left the room.

* * *

A few days later.

"You got to be kidding me!" Emma shouted out annoyed, in their living room as she, and Killian, who had finally come home again, were sitting in each couch. Killian with his leg in cast, and up on a pillow, and Emma with her laptop, on her lap, checking her emails.

"What now, love? Something's wrong?" He asked as his attention went from the tv-show, he was watching, to his wife, who had a quite annoyed expression on her face. "It's from my realtor. A buyer for my apartment, in Boston, has offered quite the sum for it," Emma began explaining. "But, what's the problem then?" He asked curiously. Wondering, how this could be a problem. "The buyer wants to meet me in New York during next week, before making the final decision to buy it, or not".

* * *

 **And so, that was chapter 6 everyone - phew. I think I'll have to gain some self-control or so, my chapters will reach 10.000 words in no time! xD While I know that I might have to turn down the amount, I just get carried away.**

 **So, we got a little bit of new information, and I hope I'm keeping you guys excited though I know that this chapter had some fluff in it as well, but, as I said, I promise for more 'action' during later chapters. While the threat is not going to be Black Fairy-high, I still hope it will be interesting enough for people to want to follow :)**

 **I know the small Emma/Snow moment here in at last in this chapter might seem quite** **inconsiderable, but I felt like I had to cover up for her being sick at the morning at their home, and her being 'busted'.**

 **As for reviews, I feel like I have to react to some people now. Normally I don't care much for reviews (not that I don't want them), but usually when reading other fics, I see people write things like "continue please", and so on, but here, oh my, you guys are really living yourself into this, and I couldn't be more happy. I really didn't think I would catch that many people, and especially I want to thank: _. , Emilee Amethyst_ , and, recently, _Potter_ (oh my, you surprised me yesterday with my review numbers going from 14 to 22 out of nowhere xD) - I can't thank you guys enough for giving comments that clearly show that you're into the story, and I hope I can keep you along :)**

 **(Btw, am I the only one who experience these 'horizontal lines' disappearing, even though you add them, and can see them during your edit in the documents? - if anyone know how to solve this, or if it's just an error, please pm me :))**


	7. Finding Out

**Finding Out**

 **Week 7: May:**

 **The body:** _Morning sickness, and nausea is just a party killer in all sense of the word, and you will still be dealing with that for a while, Savior. Sucking on any form for hard candy can actually be a big help to reduce the nausea. Though you're experiencing frequent vomiting, the baby actually doesn't need that much nourishment during this early state of the pregnancy. You'll also begin experiencing "morning" sickness occurring other times during the day, and it's here that you'll experience very small things to set you off. In severe cases, pregnant women can experience "Hyperemesis gravidarum", which is a very serious condition as this also can cause weight loss, and dehydration, which can end up in fainting, but just take it easy, Savior. It doesn't seem like it's going to be that serious with you, but morning sickness still sucks though. Maybe it's time to see if it's just a flu after all?_

 **The baby:** _This week your baby's brain is growing at mind-boggling 100 cells per minute within a see-through skull. If you could see inside, you would see those tiny brain cells growing, and growing, and growing. Your baby's face also becomes more defined this week. The mouth hole, tongue, nostrils, and ear indentations are all visible now. The eyes are wide open, but the baby doesn't have irises yet. The arm buds are growing, and the legs begin to form as well. The umbilical cord, the connection between your baby and the placenta, is now visible. Your baby is between 1/3, and 1/4 inch long - about the size of a Tic Tac, and is about as heavy as an eyelash. While that sounds very tiny, the baby is approximately 10.000 times bigger than at conception. Weird, huh?_

 **Bonus info - The Pregnancy Test:** _Today, modern pregnancy tests give highly accurate results within minutes. Over-the-counter pregnancy tests are all designed to detect one thing: a hormone called HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). HCG is produced in the earliest stages of pregnancy, and starts a game of telephone that tells your body not to shed the inner lining of the uterus that month. As the pregnancy progresses, HCG supports the formation of the placenta, which transfers nutrients from mother to baby._

 _The test starts when urine is applied to the exposed end of the strip of the pregnancy test. As the fluid travels up the absorbent fibers, it will cross three separate zones, each with an important task. When the wave hits the first zone, the Reaction Zone, y-shaped proteins called antibodies will grab onto any HCG. Attached to these antibodies is a handy enzyme with the ability to turn on dye molecules, which will be crucial later down the road. Then the urine picks up all the AB1 enzymes, and carries them to the Test Zone, which is where the results show up. Secured to this zone are more y-shaped antibodies that will also stick to HCG on one of its five binding sites. Scientists call this type of test: a sandwich assay. If HCG is present, it gets sandwiched between the AB1 enzyme, and the AB2, and sticks to the test zone, allowing the attached dye-activating enzyme to do its job, and create a visible pattern. If there's no HCG, the wave of urine, and enzymes just passes by. Finally, there's one last stop to make, the Control Zone. As in any good experiment, this step confirms that the test is working properly. Whether the AB1 enzymes never saw HCG, or they're extras because Zone 1 is overstocked with them, all the unbound AB1 enzymes picked up in Zone 1 should end up here, and activate more dye. So if no pattern appears that indicates that the test was faulty._

 _Pregnancy tests are pretty reliable, but they're not fail proof. For instance, false negatives can occur if concentrations of HCG aren't high enough for detection. After implantation, HCG levels double every two to three days, so it may just be too early to tell. And beverages can dilute the urine sample, which is why doctors recommend taking the test first thing in the morning. On the other hand, false positives can come from other sources of HCG, like IVF injections, ectopic pregnancies, or certain cancers such as uterine cancer, or even testicular cancer, which actually makes it possible for one of these tests to tell a man that he's pregnant._

 _The best way for a woman to find out for sure is at the doctor's office. The doctors are also looking for HCG, but with tests that are more sensitive, and quantitative, which means they can determine the exact level of HCG in your blood._

* * *

"Are you sure it's a good idea, love?" Killian asked concerned as he watched his wife standing in the kitchen, packing a medium bag, from his position on the couch which he had now occupied since walking up, and down the stairs in their victorian house was too much for his leg at that point.

"It's only for one day, I'll be back before you know it," Emma answered calmly as she laid a pair of socks into the bag, and closed it off now fully packed. A few days ago, Emma had received an email asking her to meet up in her now for sale apartment in Boston. A potential buyer had bid quite the sum for it, but had asked to meet the previous owner. After some correspondence with her realtor to get some more detailed information about why the buyer wanted to meet, it turned out just to be a young couple who wanted to hear, and meet the previous owner for a short talk.

"That's not what I'm worried about," Killian sighed, trying to sit up a bit more, "Emma, listen, for my sake, you could stay in Boston for the next week, but I heard you this morning from down here, and you have only gotten worse, love, and in your condition, I don't think you should go away alone," he told her honestly.

Emma bit her lower lip. Deep down inside, she knew he was right, but how she really wanted to get that apartment sold, and get that part of her life out, especially with the price the couple had offered. "I'll call my realtor, and see if we can change plans," Emma announced, and took out her phone, and dialled the number.

Killian only smiled at bit, and nodded at her approvingly. He was glad that she had actually listened to him, and wasn't her usual stubborn self this time around. While watching the television, Killian couldn't help, but listen to his wife's conversation on the phone. He grimaced a bit when it became clear that Emma's efforts in changing plans wasn't going well.

"They really can't wait a week more?...Okay, I see...Yes, it's just becaus-...Yeah, okay...I..I'll see you all then...Tomorrow, yes...At 12:00...Okay, deal...You too, bye."

Emma sighed deeply as she reached the other couch, and hung up. She sat down heavily on the couch, bouncing a bit on the soft material. "I guess that was a no?" Killian asked, though he knew the question seemed a bit stupid, but Emma just shook her head, "they have been looking at different apartments in the city, and they really want mine, but they want to meet me first, and they will make their decision next week," she told him clearly irritated.

Despite her being up, and ready for going today, Emma was not in the mood for travelling. Lately, her nausea had not only stayed in the mornings. It would occur several times during the day. She was beyond exhausted, even though she went to bed early, and overall, she felt sore, and weak. Whatever flu had hit her, it was quite aggressive, but she remembered both Killian, and her dad had been sick during the flu epidemic.

Killian only nodded. He hadn't been able to do much in helping his wife during her illnesses. He was pretty much trapped to this couch, and despite him having crutches, he was only allowed to walk when it was absolutely needed, like bathroom visits, and such. "Aren't there anyone you could take with you?" He asked her, looking at her as he could see she was thinking through her options;

Thinking deeply, Emma tried to list up her options, but none of them seemed to be free; her mother had gone in bridezilla-mode along with Regina, and both were fully occupied in wedding plans. Her father was the only healthy Sheriff in town, and had all his limbs intact. Zelena had her baby to take care off, and the mood would quickly be awkward between them on a four hour drive. Robin was also in the child-taking-care-of-zone, and Henry was busy at school.

Shutting her eyes tight while pinching the bridge of her nose, Killian decided to help with a suggestion; "okay, love, listen; take the drive today, and take as many breaks you need on the way. Don't take any risks. Meet with that couple tomorrow, and afterwards, see how you feel. If you feel too sick, then I rather think you should stay there, and wait. If you can keep that deal on your side, then go, and give that couple one hell of a sales pitch".

Emma gave him the most heartwarming smile in return. Where would she find another man to give her that kind of trust? Nodding in agreement, she went over to him, and gave him the biggest kiss on the lips which he only could only return, smiling at her reaction. "It's a deal," she told him as she looked into his eyes, smiling brightly in return, and got back up to get ready.

"But, hey! We need to solve the most important thing!" He suddenly called out, making her turn around, "and what's that?" She asked wondering, trying to think through the things she had already packed. "Who's going to take care of me? I'm wounded, in pain, sore, hungry, and stucked here for eternity, remember?"

It had to be seen to be believed that the almighty Captain Hook could look, and sound so miserable at the same time.

Smiling, and laughing, she went back to him, "actually, I've been thinking about that," and before he could ask what it was, Emma thought deeply of the couch in her parent's living room in their house at their farm, and with one swift of her hand, Killian, and crutches disappeared in a cloud of grey smoke.

"Sorry, mom," she spoke out, trying to shake off the weird feeling of being slightly lightheaded.

* * *

Same day, the Charming's farm:

"Aww, this one is cute," Snow beamed as her, and Regina sat in the dining room looking at wedding dresses and fabrics in the same folder which Snow had made for Emma's wedding with Killian.

"I'm not really sure if 'cute' suits me," Regina sighed as scrolled onto the next page, "this one, though," she began, but was interrupted when suddenly the sound of someone poofing themselves was heard from the living room next to them. "What was that?" Snow asked a bit shocked, looking at Regina confused. "Seems like we're having visitors," Regina answered as they both stood up, and went into the small hallway of the first floor, and into the living room straight across.

When the smoke cleared, a confused Killian blinked a few times before he recognized the living room owned by his parents-in-law. "Nice one, love," he whispered out though Emma wasn't here. Hearing footsteps towards the living room, he looked up to see his mother-in-law, and the former Evil Queen;

"Hello there ladies," he greeted smiling a bit unsure when seeing one face quite surprised, and the other rather annoyed. "Killian, what are you doing he-" "Hello! I'm home, honey!" The sound of David's call as he entered the house was heard all the way through the house, and interrupted Snow's question. "Hello there, sweetheart, how was your day?" David asked as he went up to his wife, kissing her on the cheek, not sensing the presence of both pirate, and queen. "Great, until now," she answered, and nodded towards Killian as they broke the kiss.

"Hey there, captain! What are you doing here? Is Emma here as well?" He asked as he went over to Killian, greeting him with a manly handshake, and pat on the shoulder. "No, mate, she send me here," Killian answered, and slowly swung his leg to sit up. "Oh, how come? Did you eat her chocolates again?" Snow asked as kept her place in the livingroom, while slowly crossing her arms.

"Actually, no. Not this time. I did learn from that, but she's going to Boston tonight to-" "she's what?!" Regina asked now a bit furious. "But isn't she sick?" She asked again while looking at all three in them room. "If you would let me finish, love -" "don't call me that" Regina hissed, interrupting him again. "My apologize, but if you would let me speak," he started as he eyed Regina firmly, before gazing between Snow, and David. "Emma is going to Boston tonight to meet some potential buyers for that old apartment of hers. They're giving a pretty good bid, but they wanted to meet her, which they could only do tomorrow," he explained to the group as all of them took each seat in the room; Snow on her rocking chair, and David in the armchair beside the couch, and Regina on the seat beside Killian.

"But isn't she sick?" Snow asked a bit worried. "Yes she is, and it has actually gone worse, but I made a deal with her on taking it slow on the drive today, and I asked her to be honest with herself if she can drive tomorrow," Killian explained, staying calm for the parents. "And you believe she will keep that?" Regina clearly unconvinced, "aye, I do. I have to," Killian answered giving her a look that couldn't be mistaken. At that Snow stood up, and grabbed her phone, while David, Regina, and of course, Killian stayed put.

* * *

Same day: Emma, and Killian's home:

Emma had just put on her brown leather jacket, and was on her way out, bag hanging on her shoulder when her phone in her pocket began ringing. Fishing it out while opening the front door, she quickly looked at the display, and it confirmed her calling on who it was.

"Hey there mom," Emma greeted unsurely through the phone, knowing what was coming;

"Emma is it true you're going to Boston tonight?" Snow asked through the phone, sounding a bit desperate. "Yeah, it's true. Sorry I didn't gave a heads up," Emma replied as she summoned her magic to put on a protection spell on the front door.

"Killian told me about your deal, I hope for both yours, and his sake that you're keeping that," Snow began, and Emma rolled her eyes slightly. "Don't roll your eyes at me, young lady! I must say, I'm not found of you driving in your condition, but if it can't be any different -" "-it can't, I have tried to change the schedules," Emma answered back quite annoyed of both her mother's correction, for the worried-mother treatment she was getting treated with now, and the feeling of being a bit lightheaded again.

"Mom, listen, as you already know, I've made a deal with Killian to take it slow, which I intend to as the meeting is first happening tomorrow at lunchtime, and my hotel is open 24/7," she began explaining, and sighed at bit in relief, when she got an more confident "ok," from her mother.

"Honey! have you seen my clean underwear?" The voice of David could be heard in the background through the phone, and Emma couldn't help, but giggle to herself as she could hear her mother sighing deeply in the phone, before yelling back; "in the clean-basket!" "Hey, mom, could you ask Emma to bring back a get-well-soon-gift in the form of those colored m-chocolates? Just for her sick, and handsome pirate," the voice of Killian suddenly broke through. "I heard that, and tell him: perhaps," Emma replied back, and now felt even more sorry for her mother when the wails from baby Neal could be heard as well.

"Emma, I don't think I can overcome taking care of three babies at once!" Snow let out desperately on the other line, and Emma could only cringe a bit as she could imagine her mother standing with her hand covering her eyes in surrender. "Sorry, mom, I promise to bring a bottle of red wine as thank you-," "two!" Came a stern answer back, and Emma had to fight not to laugh out.

"I'll help you, I'll get Neal," the voice of Regina coming through gave Emma a bit of relief. I seemed like her mother wasn't that alone. "I'll be going, see you tomorrow, hopefully," Emma announced, deciding to end the conversation. "Okay, drive safely, honey. Call me when you get there. I love you," came the final request from Snow, and Emma hung on after returning the love confession.

Emma quickly went to her bug, opened the door, tossed her back in and climbed into it. If the traffic wasn't heavy, and her stomach behaving, maybe she could reach the city before the afternoon, she thought to herself as she put on her seatbelt. Reaching over to the glovebox in the front of the passenger seat, she opened it to see if there were any kind of sweets for her to enjoy on the ride, unfortunately, it was empty, which meant a small stop by the local store was on way.

Starting the engine, she sat the bug in gear, and quickly drove the short distance. After buying two bags of lemon drops, and a bottle of water, Emma was finally ready for the long drive.

A small half an hour later, Emma drove along the road, while sucking on one of the lemon drops. She felt like her nausea going away for a bit, and she got the confidence to take at least the first two hours in a row.

Turning on the radio, she listened as a political analyze was on; _"It's not if the Russians have interfered it is whether how much they have, and much the Trump campaign knew, and if we at the same time have to deal with terror threats from ISIS, and potential atomic attacks from North Korea, I fear we don't have the government for the job!"_.

Emma silently kept herself relieved that she was living in a town hidden from the world, and from all intruders. Oh, How the 'real' world could make the Black Fairy sound like a piece of cake all of sudden.

The traffic for now was at least not as heavy as she feared, but her goal of taking the two hours in stride came to a stop, when she could feel the exhaustion, she had been suffering from lately, beginning to take over. Keeping her promise to Killian, and herself, she drove into the next stop that came.

The stop included a small café and had bathroom facilities as well. Sure, she could use a cup of coffee, and the rest while she was at it.

Walking in, she was met by the usually smell of coffee, which, for her luck, didn't make her stomach turn this time, but the smell of newly baked pastry did, for some odd reason, and she had to concentrate, and take deep breaths in order for her not to gag. Digging into her pocket, which she had been smart enough to put one of the bags of lemon drops in, she took the drop in her hand, and popped it in her mouth. Once again, she experienced her nausea calming down a bit, and she kept sucking at the small candy as she looked at the menu.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" The servitrice asked her as she came up to her behind the disk. "Just one cup of black coffee, please," she ordered, trying to keep her sucking to a minimum. "Sure, will be right up".

The young woman went to her work as Emma sat down at one of the tables after paying. The café was small, and beside her, a family of three were enjoying an afternoon coffee, and snack while laughing dearly at something the father had said. Some truck drivers also hang around here, and there as well.

Taking out her phone to see if anything had happened, she smiled when she saw that her mother had already sent her several 'is-everything-alright?'-messages. Smiling, she began texting back, and before she knew it, her coffee arrived. "Here you go," the woman smiled at her, and placed the cup in front of her along with a small bag of sugar, and a piece of dark chocolate. "Thank you," Emma smiled politely back, and dumped the sugar in, and stirred it a bit, before sipping at her coffee.

When coffee, and bathroom visit, which surprisingly didn't had a vomiting round added to it, was over, Emma felt ready for another go at the highway.

* * *

Same afternoon, the Charming's farm:

"So, who's covering the station tonight, mate?" Killian asked curiously as they watched a game of hockey while drinking a can of beer each. "I've put Sneezy, and Doc on the task," David replied as he sipped at his can. "Really?" Just remember; don't tell Emma. I remember suggesting that when the two of us were sick, and she would barely look at me the rest of the day. She really doesn't like them, despite them being her mother's friends," Killian commented, and drank at his beer as well.

"I still don't understand, why she doesn't like them, I mean, okay, I can see that Leroy can be a bit of a challenge from time to time, but the rest of them seems to be fine mates. By the way, do you know what happened to Leroy? I saw him when I was leaving the hospital, and he had that nasty black eye," Killian asked looking towards David slightly. "You don't know?" David asked surprised, thinking that Emma had told him, and was about to answer, when they were interrupted by Snow;

"Don't know what?" She asked as she entered the living room with Neal in her arms. Regina had gone home a while ago, so now it was only the three of them.

"Hey there, buddy," David called as he reached for his son, and took him from Snow's grib when she bent down slightly to hand her son to his father. "About Leroy, and that black eye of his," Killian answered eyeing David with Neal, before looking back towards Snow. "Oh yeah, I saw that the other day too. I hope whoever was behind that was arrested," Snow added which made David chuckle a bit; "you want to have your own daughter arrested?" He asked while keeping his eyes on the television, knowing that two pairs of wide eyes, and hanging mouths were facing him now.

"Are you bloody serious, mate?" Killian asked shocked. How come Emma hadn't told him that?

"David, please, tell me you are joking," Snow added as she sat down on her rocking chair. "No, I'm not. It happened the night on the same day you were brought to the hospital," David told them as he turned his attention towards them, and nodded at Killian, before explaining further; "Leroy was pretty drunk, and I guess that made him unaware of who he was staring at, which I have to agree with Emma was inappropriate, but I'm not sure I'm agreeing with the solution," David commented, and finished off his beer.

"Well, there you go, love," Killian commented silently while raising his eyebrows a bit. "You agree with her hitting him?" Snow asked shocked, not believing that the two men in the same room with her agreed on violence, not to speak of her own daughter being the violent person. "I tell you one thing. No one is going to look at my wife like that. He was lucky I wasn't there," Killian spoke quite honestly, finishing his beer off as well.

Snow had to admit to herself that she would not be kind towards anyone, not even Leroy, if she ever saw them assaulting any of her children, but at the same time, violence was never the answer. What in the world was going on with her daughter right now?

A roar from both men interrupted Snow's thoughts. Apparently favorite their team had scored, and thoughts about anything else seemed to have been thrown out of the window. Both of the men kept cheering on, and David kept bouncing Neal up, and down, making the baby grin widely. 'This is going to be a long night,' Snow thought to herself as she found her knitting equipment, and began keeping herself occupied.

* * *

Same afternoon, with Emma:

"Hello, my name is Emma Swan, I've reserved for one night".

Finally, Emma had arrived at her small hotel not a long distance from the apartment building, and was now standing at the desk in the reception. The receptionist looked at his computer screened, keyed her name in, and correctly it popped up. "There you are, and here you go," the man answered, and handed her the card-key for her room. "Your room is number 201 on the second floor. Breakfast is served in the restaurant from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. If you have any needs, there's a phone in the room, which is directly connected to us down here," the man informed her, clearly having used this introduction hundreds of times.

Emma only smiled a 'thank you', took the card, and went on her way to her room, not really caring about the information she received . All she wanted was to go straight to bed, and have this day to be over as soon as possible. The rest of the drive had been hell to her. Three times, she had to stop for breaks, and on the third, she had been hit by nausea so severe, even the lemon drops couldn't save the day, and that had resulted in a 'nice' visit to a bathroom so disgusting it had given her not one, but two rounds of sickness. At least, she had been the only one there. The lack of food had also meant the lack of energy, and the last few miles had been terrible. Two lemon drops had ended up being 'dinner' as all appetite vanished.

As soon as she entered her room, she sent a quick text to her mother, not bothering to give her a call, and had quickly dressed into her night clothes afterwards. Almost as soon as she had put her phone on alarm for 09.00 a.m, and had her head on the pillow, she fell into a deep slumber.

The next day, Emma woke up by the now, usual 05:00 a.m. She had reached a point where she could almost do this in sleep, and once again, she was hit by more than one round of sickness. Panting heavily, she sat on the floor with her back against the wall as she now did when being finished. She remembered from her earlier days here, both from true, and false memories that Boston Medial Center with a free clinic was close nearby, and she considered if she should stop by to have herself checked, after her meeting at the apartment. This had now been going on for weeks, and she was beginning to slightly worry if this was something more serious than just a case of flu.

Standing up a little bit shaken, she flushed the toilet, and washed her mouth, and hands, before going back to bed to catch the rest of her four hours of sleep.

Three hours later, she was once again woken up, but this time by her phone ringing for the alarm clock. At least, she didn't feel any nausea. Slowly, she went into to bathroom to take a shower to refresh herself, and begun preparing herself for the meeting. She wanted to be as representable as possible.

At around 10:00 a.m, Emma was ready, and dressed. She knew she had missed breakfast, which she didn't mind. While she could feel a bit of hunger, she wouldn't take the risk of being sick while meeting with her realtor, and the couple. Popping two lemon drops into her mouth, she sucked on the sour candies, while checking her phone. Once again there was texts from her mother asking about her well being, and Emma decided to go with the I'm-fine-don't-worry-attitude in her answers.

Looking at the clock, she still had an half an hour left, and the apartment building were only a 10 minute walk from here. Quickly, via her phone, she checked on the free clinic to see if there were any free appointments today, and to her surprise, at 14:30 p.m, there was a time space left. Emma took a deep breathe, and made her decision; quickly, she filled out the information of her name, her ID-number, her phone number, and wrote down some quick notes about her symptoms in the comment section. As the quick reply message on her phone came about the appointment being confirmed, she took a deep breath, and began making herself ready for the first meeting of today.

"Hello there, Mrs. Swan, I'm so glad you could come. I apologize for the short notice, and that we couldn't change our plans, but the Nilson's could only make it today this week." Emma smiled as politely as she could while she shook her realtor, Mark Felton's hand when they met on the street, outside of the apartment building's entrance. Mark was your average guy. Slender build, black hair, and dressed in his dark blue pants, blazer with tie, and white shirt underneath.

"The Nilson's have already arrived, and they're already up in the apartment, ready to meet you, so what do you say? Should we go up there, and talk with them?" He asked, smiling as he gestured with his hand for her to go first in while he with the other was clutching his briefcase, with the realtor company's name on it.

"Emma, this is Caroline Nilson, and Michael Nilson," Mark introduced as they entered the apartment, and was met by the couple who stood in the open kitchen. "Hello there! So you're Emma? It's so nice to meet you," Caroline greeted as she stretched out her hand to shake Emma's. "Thank you, it's nice meeting you too," Emma smiled back, and shook her hand.

Caroline was a quite tall, slender woman with chestnut colored hair, and dressed in a former brown coat with matching skirt. In her other arm, she held a small bundle. "And who do we have here?" Emma asked as she looked at the small baby in Caroline's arms. "This is our newest member, Jimmy Nilson," Michael introduced as he as well went to greet Emma. "Aww, he's so adorable. Hello there, Jimmy," Emma smiled, nuzzling the baby's cheeks softly with her finger like she always did with Neal, before greeting Michael. Michael was more muscular than Mark. He was clearly the typical fitness-guy, and was wearing a simple green shirt, and jeans.

"So, you lived here for, how long?" Caroline asked as they sat down by the dining table. Emma had to think for a moment of what memories she should use, and decided to go with the false memories she had from living here with Henry; "I lived here for about 13 years with my son, who's now 16, soon to be 17," she told them. "You're a single mother?" Caroline asked, while cradling little Jimmy, "Yes, it's a long story -" "you don't have to tell us. We just want to know how you experienced the neighbourhood, and now that we know, how it was to raise a child here. It's one thing hearing it from a realtor, but a whole other to hear it from someone who's actually live here," Michael explained, interrupting her mid sentence. "Oh, yeah, sure," Emma began, shifting a little in her seat; "well, I remember it as being a nice neighborhood. Of course there's noise, but that's what you have to live with when living in a big city. I had Henry, my son, being taken care of by the kindergarten a few blocks from here, and later in on at the school which lies just across the street from the kindergarten, and overall we were both very happy." "So why did you move? If I may ask?" Michael questioned her, folding his hands slightly.

Emma had to sink for a bit, knowing that if she went on, telling the real story, they would call up for her to be put in back in the sanitorium. Clearing her throat a bit, she decided to improvise a bit; "well, I met my now husband some years ago, and he's definitely not the big city type, so we moved out for a smaller town in Maine, where we're both the sheriff's there," she explained to them, trying not to laugh a bit by their surprised faces. "You're a sheriff? Where?" Michael asked surprised, clearly impressed, and interested in hearing more. "It's in a small town called 'Storybrooke', yeah, I know," she chuckled a bit when all three made eyes at her. "Apparently, the name giver is a huge fan of fairytales," 'sorry, Regina,' she thought to herself as she explained the reason behind the odd name of the town.

"My husband, and I are living the perfect life there, but before I met him, I really loved it here. It's close to everything, and I felt pretty safe having my son going out with friends, and having fun," Emma told them, trying to see if the conversation could be cut shorter as she also wanted some time to prepare for the clinic visit later on. "I think that we have heard what we wanted to hear from you," Caroline smiled at her, clearly she wanted to finish the meeting too.

"Should we call it then?" Mark suggested having been quiet, and listening to their talk. Mark could sense that it was time to call it. He could see that the Nilson's was as close to buying this place as they could be, and Emma had certainly been a help, without even realising it.

"Yeah, if you wouldn't mind. I have a second appointment today, and a long way home, so...?" Emma started a bit unsure, but was met by agreeing nods from both Caroline, and Michael; "it's fine with us, and we also have to go, because this little guy here needs his nap, yes he does," Caroline whispered softly as she returned her attention to the small baby in her arms, who moved his small feet, and arms in the air.

As they stood up, Emma began feeling her the first waves of nausea coming to her. 'Not now, behave, just for now,' she thought to herself, especially her stomach, and began fishing a little desperate for a lemon drop in her pocket. Noticing this, Caroline looked at her a bit worried; "you're okay?" She whispered to the blond woman beside her, silent enough for the men behind them not to hear.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just dealing with some nausea at the moment, but these seems to help," Emma told her as she finally got a hold of one of the candies, and took one in her mouth. A little bit calmer, Caroline smiled back, "oh, tell me about it, when I was pregnant with this little guy here, I ate those like they were a part of my daily intake. You gave your mommy a run for her money, yes you did," she told the baby like he knew what was going on, not noticing Emma staring at her with slight wide eyes.

"I wish you a safe drive home, Emma, it was very nice talking to you," Caroline told her, and stuck her free hand out. Emma had to for moment collect herself, before shaking the other woman's hand. "Pleasure was all mine, I hope you find your place, if not here, then somewhere else," Emma smiled back.

"So, boys, are you done talking?" Caroline called out as she turned around. Mark, and Michael was in the midst of talking about the hockey game yesterday, when they were interrupted. "Sorry, man, seems like I'm on duty now," Michael sighed, and shook Mark's hand one last time, before saying his goodbyes to Emma as well.

When the couple was out of the door, Emma, and Mark was left alone. "Well, Mrs. Swan, if they're not buying this place now, I'll become vegan." "You're that sure?" Emma chuckled back. "Absolutely, I've met several pairs like these, and they all have that special look when deciding to buy their homes, and you seemed to be the final piece," he told her as they went outside of the hallway, and Mark locked up the front door, and they both went down to the street.

I'll say goodbye for now as well, Mrs. Swan. I will call if anything happens, and I wish you good luck in the future," Mark told her, and he, and Emma shook hands again, before Emma was left alone on the street.

Looking at her clock, it read: 13:55 p.m. "Okay, almost half an hour," Emma whispered to herself, and decided to go back to the hotel to check out, and to head for the hospital. She could feel the exhaustion taking over a bit, and her mind seemed a bit hazed, not thinking further of what had hit her, when Caroline had talked about, when she had felt nauseated back then.

Twenty minutes later, she parked her yellow bug in the parking area of Boston Medical Center, and went into the big entrance. Still in a bit of haze, she looked a bit around in confusion to find the clinic.

A bloodcurdling scream from a woman pulled her, and several other people and doctors out of their practices and they all turned around;

By the waiting area, a woman had fallen to her knees with her face buried in her hands, and a man, who Emma presumed was her husband, hugged her tightly. Both of them were clearly in shock, and sorrow, and the woman sobbed heart wrenching sobs into her husband's shoulder. Both of them had bandages around their heads, and the woman's arm was in a cast as well, and a doctor stood by them, with a clipboard in hand, and had a deeply sympathetic look at them.

That was when Emma's eyes widened in shock. She recognized the couple. It was the same she had seen during her first break on her road to Boston, but where was their child? 'Oh, please no,' Emma thought to herself as she covered her mouth lightly with her hand.

"Can I help you ma'am?" A voice interrupted her thoughts, and she turned around to see one of the doctors staring at her. "Dr. Lindsey," the sign on her lap coat read. She looked to be in the middle of her 40's, well fit, and if her hair had been black, and not light brown, she could have mistaken her for her own mother.

Emma shook her head a bit, "I'm sorry, I was just looking for the clinic, when I heard -" silently, she turned her gaze back towards the couple who still kept their position on the floor. "Oh dear. It's so tragical. They were involved in terrible car accident yesterday. Both of them made it out okay, but their child...There was nothing we could do. She was only seven," Dr. Lindsey told her while she too stared at the couple. Emma had to sink a bit and collect herself not to show any emotion. It was not the place or time to do that.

"We?" Emma asked looking at the woman beside her. "Yes, I was on shift in the E.R yesterday when it happened, and stood for the treatment of the girl." Signing a bit, Dr. Lindsey didn't know why, but the younger woman beside her had something over her that made her want to expand more in her thoughts; "I remember when I became a doctor. I was ready to save the world, and I certainly remember the first time, I saved a life. It was a young teenage girl who had been hit by a car. The parents would come for me days after, while the girl was healing, and they would tell me I was their 'Savior'." At that Emma looked at the woman instantly. "Yeah, I know, it was a bit overwhelming, but it taught me what it meant for people for me to do my best, but it's in these situations that I don't feel like I'm any kind of 'Savior'. Nonetheless, tomorrow there's a new day, and life will move on for the rest of us. Sadly, we just can't save everyone," Lindsey finished off, signing a bit again. Emma only nodded along, knowing all too well, what she was talking about.

"Anyway, it was the clinic you searched for, right?" Lindsey quickly changed the subject, and smiled at the blond woman beside her. "Sorry, yes, I've made an appointment in about few minutes," Emma answered, and decided to let the family in sorrow be. "It's just right over there. You'll just have to go inside of that hallway, and you'll see the clinic sign. You can't miss it," Lindsey told her, and pointed at the glass doors, leading out to a hallway. "Thank you," Emma responded, and made her way towards the doors.

Dr. Lindsey had been right. The clinic sign stood clear in front of her as she made her way down the hallway. Entering the doors, she spotted the registration desk in the middle of the room.

"Hello there! I've made an appointment at 14:30 p.m," Emma told the elder nurse behind the desk. "Your name, honey?" The nurse asked her. "Emma Swan," Emma answered, and the lady keyed in her name on the computer. "Oh yes. That's correct, I see. You just take a seat over there, and a doctor will be calling you in, when it's your turn," the nurse told her, and pointed towards the small waiting area.

Emma sat down on one of the red plastic chairs, and brushed her hand through her hair, while sighing slightly. What a day...

"Mrs. Emma Swan?" The sound of her name made her head shot up towards another female doctor, with a open file in her hand. Standing up, Emma went to her; "that's me," she told the doctor, and the doctor stretched out her hand; "hello there, Emma. I'm Dr. Jackson, and I'll be your doctor today. Please, follow me into exam room number 2," Dr. Jackson greeted her, and gestured Emma to follow her.

Dr. Jackson was a black woman in her mid 40's, just like Dr. Lindsey. She was thicker build, but not overweight.

"So, Mrs. Swan, you're right now dealing with exhaustion, vomiting, nausea, sore chest area, and you also described weird change of mood, is that correct?" Dr. Jackson asked as she had listed up the symptoms. "Yes, that's correct. I've been having these symptoms for weeks now, and first I thought it was from an infection as my husband has been sick, but I feel like this is different," Emma explained as she sat on the examination table. "Okay," Dr. Jackson answered short as she wrote Emma's words down in her notes.

"How come you feel this is different?" Jackson asked, and looked at the younger woman in front of her; "well, for starters, my husband was sick, yes, but his finished off after a couple of weeks, mine has been going on for longer, and I don't recall him being suddenly angry, other than terrible miserable, but you know, man-flu," Emma chuckled off, and Jackson couldn't help but laugh along too; "oh, honey, you should know, I've been in this business for 20 years, and I have my fair share of men with a flu, trust me," she informed as she eyed Emma with a 'believe-me' look.

"Okay now. I have to ask a couple of personal questions, okay?" Dr. Jackson asked, and Emma only nodded; "when was the last time you ,and your husband had some fun time in the bedroom?" Emma gulped a bit by the sudden, and quite intimate question, and tried to think; "at least 8 weeks ago will be my best bet," Emma answered honestly, trying to think back. Sex wasn't exactly the first thing she wrote down on her notes. "Very well. Then I have to ask you; when did you have your last period?" Again, Emma had to think for some time, before answering; "it was about 6 weeks ago, I think?" Emma wondered out loud, scratching her neck a bit.

Dr. Jackson only nodded, and wrote down her notes on the file. When he was finished writing down, Dr. Jackson laid the file away, before going closer to Emma. Though she had a sense of what was "wrong" with this younger woman here, she knew she had to go through basic checks before coming to conclusions; "Okay, honey, I'm going to listen to your lungs, and heartbeat, if you will please lift up your shirt for me." Emma did as she was told, and gasped a bit when the cold surface of the stethoscope connected with her back. "Deep breath, please," and once again, Emma obeyed, and took a deep breathe. "Lungs are fine," Jackson told her after listening for a couple of seconds. "I'm gonna check your heart now, and you just do the same as before, deep breathe."

Dr. Jackson smiled a bit to herself. 'There they were, those extra beatings,' she thought to herself, and took the stethoscope away, and pulled the earpieces out. "Okay, Emma, as I said, your lungs are fine, but your heart is beating faster than normal for a woman in your age." At that Emma looked at her, slightly worried. Catching that, Jackson smiled at her; "but not to worry, at least it's not Lupus-" "Lupus?" Emma asked out confused. "Just relax, it's never Lupus, but in fact, all of your symptoms, and extra heart beating more is perfectly normal when being pregnant."

Emma's eyes widened in shock; "pregnant?!" She gasped looking at the doctor with wide eyes. Dr. Jackson only nodded, and smiled; "your symptoms fit quite well, as I said, but to be absolutely sure, I will take a blood test, and have the results ready for you in minutes," she told Emma while she took out the blood test equipment. Not afraid of needles, Emma took things calmly as the needle was stuck into her vein in her arm, and the whole ideal was over in seconds.

"I'll be going to the lab, and have this ready soon, meanwhile, you can take one of these," Jackson told her, and handed her a box from one of the cabins. "Pregnancy Test," it read.

"Do you know how to take these, and how they work?" Jackson asked as Emma packed out the test. "Yeah, I've been pregnant before, and found out by taking one of these," Emma explained as she took out the test from pack. "Then how come you didn't recognized the symptoms?" Jackson asked a bit wondering. "Well, let's just say, it wasn't during the best time in my life, and I really didn't think that much of all the signs back then," Emma shrugged off, and it was clear for Jackson that Emma was not going to tell more.

"Very well, then. You just stay here, and take the test, and I will be back in minutes. The bathroom is just across the hall," Jackson told her, before heading out of the exam room, leaving Emma all by herself.

"Pregnant?" She asked out loud still a bit shocked, but slowly began smiling widely. Then it all made sense now, and now thinking back, she did remember feeling sick when she was in prison, and being generally sore in her body, before she found out.

A few tears welled up in her eyes. She was going to be a mother again, and this time, she was not alone! And Killian! Oh, Killian. He was going to be a father! How she couldn't wait to get the final results, and go home to tell them all. How she could imagine Killian's eyes, mother's face, and her father's hugs when she would tell them. Quickly, she stood up, and headed for the bathroom, and took the test.

There are few moments in this life where four minutes seems like an eternity. Testing for pregnancy is one of them, and while waiting in the exam room with the test lying on the examination table, Emma paced the small room nervously.

Emma was about to check the test, when the door opened up, and Dr. Jackson was back with a piece of paper in her hand; "congratulations, Mrs. Swan, you are expecting!" The older woman announced, and could only smile when Emma's eyes brightened up, and now more tears of happiness welled up in her eyes. "Come here," Jackson smiled, and hugged the younger woman tightly.

Chest pains, and nausea seemed to be gone, and forgotten now, and Emma hugged the doctor back. After pulling back, the doctor looked at the test, and smiled; "see, even the test is agreeing," she told Emma, and held up the test to show her the two red lines appearing. "So, the blood test showed that you're HCG account is on 57.000, and according to your details about your last period, you're seven weeks ahead," Jackson told her as she read up from the test in her hand, and Emma just nodded, her mind not at all clear at this point.

"Okay, Emma, just for procedures, only. I want to know about your situation. You told me you were married, and already have a child, so I presume that everything's alright at home, and you're all fit for having a second child?" Jackson asked her as she sat down on the examination table, gesturing for Emma to sit down beside her, which she did, though she was still a bit shaken after the news.

"Yeah, without a doubt. I couldn't ask for better support than what I will get, and my husband will be so excited when I tell him the news," she told the doctor. "And what about medical help, and check ups? I can tell from your file that you don't live here in Boston," Jackson asked caringly. "I have access to medical help in my town, so there's nothing to worry about," Emma smiled back.

Nodding while smiling widely at the blond beside her, glad to hear that everything was alright, Jackson stood up, and gestured for Emma to do the same. "Then I guess we're done here. Once again, congratulations, Mrs. Swan, and I wish you a bright future."

It was like Emma's smiled had been plastered on her face, and she thanked the doctor dearly, before heading out of the exam room, and out of the hospital. Time to get home. "Both of us," she whispered to herself, and laid her hand gently on her yet flat stomach.

After cleaning the room, and getting it ready for a new patient, Dr. Jackson headed out in the hallway, and almost bumped into her colleague, Dr. Lindsey. "Oh, sorry, Linds, didn't see where I was going," Jackson apologized. "Don't worry about," Lindsey shrugged off, and took a good look at the woman before her. "You seem pretty happy Did something happened?" She asked her colleague curiously. "Just announced a to a young woman that she was pregnant, and she was so happy about it, you should have seen her, Lindsey," Jackson told her, and looked out in space with her eyes glistening. Lindsey couldn't help but smile at herself, and suddenly, after a horrible day at work, it seemed to brighten up again.

"The circle of life when it's most beautiful. One life ends, another begins".

* * *

Three and an half hour later:

Emma sighed deeply to herself. She had just taken a break in the café, just across the very same café where she had spotted that family yesterday, and had not put one single thought into it, and now that little girl was gone.

As she was just heading away from the café and out on the road again, her heart almost stopped, and her breath was caught in her throat, when she spotted the remains of a car wreck on the other side of the road.

"It happened right here?" She whispered to herself unbelievingly. Luckily, the highway was almost empty with a very few cars going in each direction, and Emma decided to pull her yellow bug into the side and park it, before climbing out, and quickly, she went to the other side, carefully making sure not to get hit by a car on the way.

Stopping at the wreck piece which the emergency crew apparently hadn't picked up, she was once again shocked, when she could sense a piece green and yellow-striped colored fabric, clearly from a shredded shirt owned by a child. Squatting down, she reached out, and touched the fabric. Tears now streaming down her face; "I'm so sorry," she whispered out, and caressed the fabric in her hand. As she checked around her a couple of times, she made one swift with her hand, and luckily, her magic out her in the 'real' world worked enough for her to summon a small bouquet of roses, which she laid, and secured underneath the metal piece.

Standing up, shaking off the feeling of being a little lightheaded, she dried off her tears, feeling that she couldn't do anything more, and headed back to her car. The thought of the announcement she was going to bring home brought a smile through her tears, and not before long, she was on her way, heading for home.

* * *

Same night, at the Charming's Farm.

"When is mom coming home?" Henry asked impatiently as he sat on the floor, playing with baby Neal between his legs.

"Actually, she should be here soon, it's not that long ago that she texted me from her break," Snow answered as she went into the living room with a tray of sweets in her hands.

Besides Henry, David, and of course Killian where sitting, all of them waiting for their dear Emma to soon return. While Killian felt like he had been treated like a king, which was kind of odd, since the owner of the house were king, and queen, he missed his wife, and hoped that she would make it home soon without pushing herself too much.

Sitting, chatting, and eating sweets, the sound of the front door opening with Emma's "I'm home!" Ringing across the room made everyone stop what they were doing, and get up, except for Killian.

"Emma! You made it!" Snow exclaimed happily as she went up to hug her daughter tightly as if she had been gone for years. "Yeah, I made it, the traffic was very light on the way home," Emma smiled back as she returned her mother's hug.

Quickly, she shared hugs with David, and Henry, who carried Neal, and Emma gave him a soft nuzzle on the cheek as well, before she went to her husband to give him a long kiss on his lips. How she had missed those overnight. Sitting down beside him, she could feel the butterflies in her stomach, but before she could tell anything, Henry decided to intervene; "so, how was the trip?" He asked excited as he went back to his place on the floor with Neal.

"How did the meeting go? Is the apartment sold?" Snow asked before Emma had a chance to reply, and she couldn't help but giggle a little, oh how nice it was to be back in her parent's warm living room with her family beside her.

"It went really well, actually. They were a couple, almost like Killian, and me, and they just wanted to talk to me how it was to live there and -" "did you tell them that you had dated a flying monkey while living there?" Henry teased while shaking a soft ball in front of Neal. "No I didn't, I did though mix up the explanation a bit, and the realtor, who also showed up, seemed to be quite positive about them buying it, so hopefully it's done for now," Emma smiled, and laid her head on Killian's chest, closing her eyes in enjoyment as he laid his arm around her.

"That sounds wonderful, love. Though I was worried, I was glad you did it, and I'm glad you kept your deal. Your mother told me about when you kept your breaks and wrote to her, I knew I could trust you with that," Killain told her, and sat up to place a soft kiss on her cheek. Closing her eyes for a moment in pleasure, Emma opened them once again, and looked at her family, and sat up again it was time;

"And of course, as promised," going through her bag, she pulled up two bottles of red wine for her mother, and a bag of M&M's for Killian. Both was received with huge amount of relief, and happiness, and Emma couldn't help but laugh along when she decided it was time for the next announcement;

"Actually, I have something to tell all of you," she began, sounding more serious than she originally intended, and it did result in all of them looking slightly worried at her, but they kept silent in order for her to continue; "while on my trip, I experienced the nausea, and the exhaustion attacks that I've been hit by recently, and when I arrived in Boston, I knew that there was a hospital with a free clinic close by, and after some thought, I decided to book an appointment, after the meeting with the couple, and before I came back home."

Clearing her throat a bit to contain her emotions, Emma continued; "I went there, and I had given my symptoms online, and the doctor checked my heart, lungs, and took a blood test and-" "and?" Snow asked quite worried, fearing that her daughter was going to tell them something terrible. The tension in the room was so thick it could be cut with a knife.

David sat with his hands clamped together, both getting more, and more clammy. Henry laid the soft ball down while looking at his mother while sinking heavily, and Killian sat up even more, laying his hand on her knee in support.

Once again, Emma had to sink the lump in her throat, but this time, she couldn't stop the tears in welling up in her eyes. Looking down at Killian's hand, she laid hers on his. Gently she rubbed it, and looked him in the eyes; "congratulations, Captain, you're going to be a father".

Silence filled the room, and for a moment, you could hear a needle being dropped on the floor, but before Emma could say anything more, Killian had forgotten all about the pain in his leg, and he almost jumped into Emma's lap. He hugged her so tight that she feared she would break. The kisses that was placed on her face could not be counted, and when she finally opened her eyes to see her parent's, and Henry's reactions, she was only met by pure happiness;

Snow had covered her mouth with her hands, tears streaming down her face, and David's eyes welled up as well. Henry's smiled couldn't have gone wider. His family was not only growing on his adoptive mother's side, now he was going to be a big brother!

Hugs, tears, and congratulations was shared between everyone in the room, and as Killian, and David shared a fierce man hug, Emma sat back and watched, while gently laying a hand on her stomach.

* * *

 **So, there you have it! Wow, and me who thought I couldn't write any longer chapters, turns out I could. I promise to shrink down a bit, so they don't become too long, but a lot happened in this chapter as you could see :)**

 **I hope the OC's weren't too confusing, and I know somethings might seem irrelevant now, but I promise, as well as the other chapters, there's a lot of setups in this :)**

 **Okay, now. I will talk a little about the huge elephant in the room, which I can see also affects the reviews; my grammar. Yes, I know it's not that good, and I've told that in a couple of chapters before that, but I felt it became an old song quickly, but people are commenting about it, so here's the deal**

 **English is my second language, and I'm original Danish. So, it often happens that I mistakenly correct my grammar after Danish rules (and we use quite a lot of commas). I try to follow up on the English rules, but they can for me be hard to remember.**

 **So why don't I get a beta-reader? Well, right now I don't, because so far, I can't find any beta-reader for OUAT who doesn't want to intervene in the plot as well, and I'm not going to allow that, as I have thought for this story for a long, long time now, and I would be pretty annoyed if someone think they should begin to decide what should happen, and what shouldn't.**

 **So, here's what I think I/we could do instead, I've seen your review, Potter, and that gave me an idea; anyone, and I mean ANYONE can send me private messages not reviews if you spot one or several grammar mistake so huge they have to be mentioned. If I screw up with commas, time, descriptions, anything - please, send them to me in a private messages, and I can correct them, as I'm saving the documents with the chapters on.**

 **If you want to note me on a mistake, please as specific as you can be as I can't spot them myself.**

 **I will thank anyone dearly if they do that, but I will not take rude messages. There's a difference between being constructive, and being mean, remember that. Rude messages will be ignored, and rude reviews will also be deleted (I have already been there twice!)**

 **I'm so thankful for those who choose to either follow, or put this in their favorites.**

 **You have no idea how much I feared that you guys were fed up with CS-pregnant/baby stories that mine would just fall into the pile ,and be forgotten, so do know that I'm very thankful and honored that you seem to like it :)**

 **Flaxen.**

 **Btw: 10 points to the one who can spot the House-reference :P**


	8. Suspicions

**Suspicions**

 **Week 8: May:**

 **The body:** _You're aware of what's going on now, Savior, but that doesn't mean that your body is going to go easy on you. Far from it, actually. Right now, everything that goes down seems to come up again, and lemon drops can't save it every time. Prenatal vitamins are very important in order to assure proper growth, and nutrition for your baby. Yet, everything that goes down seems to come right back up. Eating fruit can be a big help as they have both nutrients and vitamins that are good for you, and your baby. Your abdomen may be tender, which will make tight clothes quite uncomfortable. Though you're far from beginning to show, looser clothes might be more comfortable to wear. Even in the early stages of pregnancy, your body readies itself for breastfeeding, and that's why your breasts are growing. You might also start to experience vivid, and unusual dreams during pregnancy. It could be the result of the rise of hormones during your pregnancy, or a Savior's vision, who knows?_

 **The baby:** _From head to to, the baby is now 12 mm long. About the size of a raspberry. Your baby weighs about 1 gram. Right now, the baby's external ears are forming. It's primary teeth, optic nerve, and eye lids are all forming now. Though you can't feel it moving, the baby's arms and legs are moving now. The tiny heart has separated into four distinct chambers and is really ticking now - at a rate of 150 beats per minute. That's more than twice of your resting heart rate. The external genitals still haven't developed enough to reveal whether you're having a boy or a girl._

* * *

Storybrooke, Sheriff's station:

"Three weeks since the robbery of my shop, and not only have you lost the only evidence, you haven't been around in my shop to find any other clues either. I apologise, Sheriff, but I'm getting quite impatient," Rumple announced as he, and Belle with Gideon in her arms, stood inside of the sheriff's office.

"I know, Rumple, and I'm sorry about that. A lot has been going on lately, but I assure you, we're doing everything we can to solve this," Emma tried, holding her hands out to calm the man down. "Are you really? Then how come no answers are here yet? Rumple asked suspiciously. Belle laid a hand on her husband's arm, telling him to calm down. "I know, Belle, but the thieves are still out there, and they could come back at any moment, and I will not risk the safety of my family because three sheriffs can't do their job!"

Emma sat back a bit, letting her hand brush against her face, and closed her eyes for a bit. It was not even lunch, and already she felt tired as hell. Though she was expecting, she was still doing her shifts, but having Rumple standing in front of her now, she really missed the opportunity to go home, go to bed, and just forget the world.

"Look, Rumple, you have every right to be frustrated, so are we. We also want to know who's behind this, and what they want, but you have to give us the time to figure it out," Emma told him once again, trying not let her annoyance show too much.

"We could have found out who that was if you hadn't lost that scarf, Mrs. Swan" Rumple spoke through his clenched teeth. Taking a deep breath, Rumple tried to control himself, but still kept his gaze on the blonde woman in front of him; "okay, Mrs. Swan, I'll be kind, and give you three weeks more, but if you haven't found anything, I will take matter into my own hands," he told her, not removing his eyes from her.

"Okay," Emma nodded; "it's a deal," she agreed as she right now didn't want to discuss any further with the man, and only watched as the pair nodded, turned around, and walked out of the station.

Groaning deeply, Emma let both of her hands brush against her face and over her head, before pulling herself together; "alright, time for research," she whispered to herself.

"You really want to give them three weeks?" Belle asked she, and Rumple went outside, "I must admit that, no, I really don't want to, but at the same time, I do want to try and become more patient with things like that. Regardless, whoever did it is probably going to reveal themselves in some way, or another," Rumple told her honestly, and Belle only nodded as they walked towards their home.

* * *

At the school, the same day:

"So, Henry, are you ready to be a big brother?" Snow asked as she sat by the bench outside in the schoolyard. It was lunchtime, and while Snow was a teacher, and usually would be eating lunch with her colleagues, she also enjoyed joining her grandson from time to time.

"Oh yeah! I can't wait!" Henry answered happily, and quickly made room for Snow to sit down, and they both sat, eating in silence for some minutes. "My other mom told me that you're helping with the upcoming wedding. Have you decided for a dress yet? Maybe a dark colored gown with feather collar, and jewels to go with it ?" Henry asked, and couldn't help but teasing a bit. At that Snow laughed, almost choking in her food; "no, Henry, luckily, your mom is looking for something a bit more traditional, but yes, I am helping, and I'm going over there after lunch as I don't have anymore classes today," she explained before taking another bite of her homemade sandwich.

"Cool, I'm just so glad that things seems to have settled down, and I can't believe how fast everything is happening right now. My family is growing bigger, and I couldn't be more excited for it," Henry told her honestly, and took a sip from his bottle of water. Snow only nodded as he explained, smiling at the boy's excitement, "I see what you mean. If anyone told me a few years ago that I would be helping Regina with her wedding, I would have thought they had gone mad, but here we are".

"Hello there, do you mind if I join the small family gathering?" Violet asked as she stood by the table with her tray in hand. Looking up, both Henry, and Snow smiled dearly at her, and gestured her to sit on the other side.

"So, how did your math test go?" Henry asked as she sat down. "I got a B! That's one grade higher than last time," Violet told them proudly, and both Henry, and Snow congratulated her; "well done, Violet! So that math group has really helped, I guess," Snow commented as she took another bite of her sandwich.

"It has indeed, especially since Mei came along. She is really good at explaining, but -" Violet drifted of a bit while explaining, "but what, sweetheart?" Snow asked as she could sense the younger girl becoming more unsure. "I worry about her. She has been very off lately, and last time we met, she told us that her grandfather has become very sick," Violet explained to them. "Oh dear," Snow commented as she listened, "that seems like a lot of pressure," Snow commented, and gazed at both of the young people. "It is indeed, but I have to tell you something," Violet began, and eyed them both unsurely. "Sure, Violet, you can tell us anything," Henry supported her, and took her hand in his.

"I have a suspi-"

 _RIIIIIINNNNGGGG!_

Violet was interrupted mid sentence by the sound of the school bell, "well, back to work, I guess," Henry sighed out, and it seemed that whatever Violet was about to say was forgotten as they all three stood up, and went to the trash can to dump out leftovers, and place the trays back. "Say hey to mom for me!" Henry called out as Snow went her way out of the schoolyard. Turning around, Snow smiled, and waved at both at them.

Violet only smiled half heartedly as she wanted to tell them both something more about Mei.

* * *

Later, same day, at the station:

"What about the one from page 10? Come on, Regina, show her the one from page 10" Snow pleaded as she stood by a now quite annoyed looking Regina at the Sheriff's station.

Until now, Emma had sat here a couple of hours after lunch by herself, trying to see if she could find more clues to figure out who stood behind the robbery of Mr. Gold's Pawnshop. That had been until her mother, and Regina had showed up in her office in a cloud of purple smoke.

Snow had insisted on Emma judging possible wedding dresses for Regina, and while Emma had agreed, thinking that they would only go for 2, perhaps 3, they were now on the 7th dress, and Snow had certainly not given up by now. Regina on the other hand seemed to be fighting dearly for not letting her temper get the best of her.

With one switch of her hand, Regina let her purple smoke surround her while groaning deeply, before revealing herself in a new wedding dress. A white ball gown shaped dress with embroidered lace on tulle sparkles with metallic thread and swarovski crystals. It was completed with a sweetheart neckline.

"I really like that pattern, but I'm not sure about the form, I mean, not that ball gown doesn't fit you, Regina, but I think that mermaid, or sheath style would fit you more. What do you think, Emma?" Snow asked while she inspected the dress carefully, before looking towards Emma.

"Mom, please, I'm quite busy right now," Emma answered as she tried not to sound too annoyed, and tried to get her mother to cut her, and Regina some slack. "Not busy enough for not being a judge here. That's what you said a few minutes ago," Snow protested, but before she could say anything else, Emma suddenly bolted up from her chair, and ran towards the small bathroom.

The sound of Emma emptying her stomach made both Snow, and Regina look at each other while cringing, and Snow decided to leave Regina be for a moment to go and check on her daugther.

"Well, I guess that judgement was pretty clear," Regina whispered to herself as she changed back to her normal clothes. A dark red pants suit with a white shirt underneath.

Emma had just finished off, and sat back, panting when Snow came in. "Oh, honey," Snow sighed slightly worried as she bent down, and took Emma's hand in hers, helping her up from the floor.

"Emma are you okay?" Regina asked as Emm,a and Snow returned to the office. Emma only nodded as she let her mother settle her. "I'm fine, but the little one in here is not agreeing with anything I show down for the moment," she added while brushing her hand against her face, before looking back at them.

The look on Regina made Emma realise that it was not everyone who knew about her expecting. "Emma, are you?" Regina asked, and smiled widely when Emma nodded back, and Snow beamed with excitement at the thought. "Aw, Congratulations, Emma, when did you find out?" Regina asked crossing her arms while looking at both Emma, and Snow.

"When I was in Boston a few days ago. I visited a free clinic, and got the confirmation then," Emma answered her, and sat back a bit. "So, how far are you?" Regina asked curiously. "I'm on my 8th week now. Yesterday, Killian, and I visited the hospital here, both for checking up on his leg, and I got checked as well while I was there. Dr. Whale received the information they got from the clinic in Boston, and took some tests himself to be sure," Emma explained to them. "He prescribed me some prenatal vitamin pills, especially made for nausea women to keep us both healthy. I've been advised to take them before going to sleep as everything I eat right now comes right back up, " Emma finished off, signing a bit.

Snow, and Regina only nodded, but before they could anything else, the door to the station opened, and the voice of Henry could be heard, "hello!" He called out as he, and Violet walked inside.

"Hey there, kid," Emma greeted trying not to sound too irritated towards him. While she enjoyed having both him, and Violet over, she really wanted to have some peace to work on this case, alone, and not with people surrounding her with other tasks .

Regina caught it though, and she wanted to get out of here as well. The opportunity was perfect. Regina turned towards the two newcomers; "how about you guys go home with me, and do your homework there," she suggested, and ignored the slightly disappointed look from Snow.

"I'm sorry, kid, it's not that I don't want you guys here, but I really want to find out more about that robbery so we can catch the thieves. Our only evidence we had is gone, so I'm on even deeper water now than before when we had that pink scarf," Emma told her son as she grabbed his shoulders, not seeing the way Violet's head shot up in surprise.

"Oh, okay, sure," Henry responded, and while Violet wanted to stay as she really wanted to talk with Emma about something, she was still a bit unsure of saying it out loud, and just nodded along not saying anything. Emma spoke a silent 'thank you' towards Regina, who only winked back, before they disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke, leaving her and her mother alone in the station.

"Mom, I'm sorry, but could I ask you to leave as well?" Emma asked a bit unsurely, not wanting to be mean to her mother. Snow only but smiled at her; "sure, honey, you don't have to be sorry. I know you have a lot going on right now. Just take care of yourself. We can't have any stress on you with the little one coming soon," Snow whispered as she went to her daughter, and gently rubbed her stomach. Emma smiled at her mother, and they shared a hug before Snow left the building.

* * *

Same night, at the Morgans:

"Dad, if you had the feeling that one of your friends back in Camelot was up to something, what would you do?" Violet asked her father as they sat, eating dinner in their small house, just a couple of blocks away from Emma and Hook's place.

Laying his fork, Hank Morgan could see his daughter's distress as she now only sat and picked at her food.

"Well," he began as he dried his mouth,"it depends on how close I would be. If it was my closests friends, I would try, and talk to them, and see if they would trust me to let me know what was going on," he explained to her. "But what about those you weren't close to?" She asked curiously, while beginning to eat a piece of carrot.

"I would see if I could talk with either Arthur, or someone else I knew was closer to them. Often there's a good reason behind what people are doing, but sometimes they can't see the bad side of things," he told her, and continued eating as well.

"You wouldn't talk with authorities?"

Once again, Hank laid his fork and knife down. "Violet, you can talk with me at anytime if something bothers you. Is it Henry?" He asked her as he searched for an answer in her expression. "No! No, dad, it's not Henry. It's...it's Mei from my math group," Violet slowly answered. "The new girl you talked about some while ago?" "Yes, her. While she has become a good friend, I'm afraid that she...I think that she...I don't know how to say it, dad," almost tossing her fork down, Violet buried her face in her hands in frustration.

"Hey, hey, sweetheart. Take it easy, and try and explain it to me, I'll listen," Hank assured his daughter, reaching a hand over to grab hers, squeezing it. "I think she's behind the robbery of Mr. Gold's shop, and that it's all my fault," Violet confessed, and looked at her father who's eyes went wide for a bit. "H..How come?" He asked, finding his voice again and released his grip.

"When we started in the math group, everything seemed fine. Mei is a great tutor. She's smart, and clever, and she really explains things so I can understand them," Violet began while looking at her father who nodded for her to continue; "but then, a couple of weeks ago, she began asking me about what I knew about magic, knowing that Henry is my boyfriend, and that his family has magic. She asked me if I knew of a way to copying magic. She never told me for what, but I was stupid enough to tell her about a book Gold owned which Henry had told me about a long time ago. A couple of days later, she asked me about what I knew about protection spells, and once again I told what Henry told me about breaking them by having something that belongs to a person, who the person behind the spell, trusts."

"I see," Morgan spoke out, he could easily put two and two together now. Mei was without a doubt one of the thieves, or at least behind the robbery. "But that's not the worst about this," Violet began again as she looked down on her plate, her food now cold, and forgotten. "I think she's trying to set me up," Violet admitted.

Once again, Hank found himself shocked by his daughter's words, but nodded at her patiently in order for her to explain further.

"A few weeks ago, I forgot my pink scarf at Granny's after our meeting in the math group. I went back to get it, but it was gone by then. The next day, I found it in Killian's hospital room, and while I for a moment thought that I had forgotten it back there, I got the confirmation today. At the station, I heard Emma say that my scarf is the evidence of the robbery, which have gone missing, because I have it now. I fear that Mei took it to break into Gold's shop. I'm not sure if she left it to set me up, or she simply just dropped it, but anyway, dad, I'm so scared," Violet admitted, tears glistening in her eyes.

By now, Hank had left his seat, and went over to his daughter, giving her a comforting hug. "What are you afraid of, sweetheart?" He asked her, caressing her back. "I'm afraid that they'll think it's me. I tried to tell Henry, and Snow today, but I was interrupted. At the station I tried to get the courage to talk to Emma, but I just couldn't say anything. I'm so afraid of their reactions. What if Henry doesn't trust me anymore?" She cried into her father's shoulder.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, honey, listen," Hank whispered, and pulled away from the hug to look at her with his hands firmly on her shoulders. "Honey, you only tried to help, and while I agree that it was not the smartest to tell something like that to someone you barely know, I know that you only did it because you believe in the best of people. You always have, and that's what makes you such a loving person. It's not your fault that Mei decides to do what she did with the information you gave her. She could easily have gone to you, Henry, Emma, or even Mr. Gold himself," he told her, and smiled when he felt that she relaxed even more.

"But how do I tell them, dad? I don't want them to think that I held information back to protect Mei, or that I had a part in the robbery," she asked her father, and looked down at her hands as he grasped them once again.

"Listen, Violet, ever since the last big threat was over, this place has been in peace, and I've gotten to know a lot of people here. David, Killian, and Robin has become some of my best friends here. I will gladly help you, and I'll stay behind you, but I think you should try, and solve this on your own. While I don't know Emma that well, I know her father, and her husband, and I don't have any doubt that you can talk to her, and she would listen to you. My suggestion would be that you talk to Henry first. He will listen, and stay behind you, and help you. He's a good boy, and I trust him. After that, go to Emma, David, or Killian, and tell them how it is. Don't you doubt in them willing to help you," Hank finished off, and once again Violet could feel herself relax a bit more, her father always knew exactly what to say.

Another hug was shared that night. "Thank you, dad," Violet whispered over and over again.

* * *

Same night, at Emma, and Killian's:

"Okay, only one more step, and there you go."

Killian was finally allowed to move around a bit more, or enough for him to climb the stairs to the second floor to their master bedroom. Oh, how he had missed a proper bed!

His leg was now wearing a foot cast which he could walk on easily when walking on flat ground. Stairs was a whole other case, and he needed Emma's help. Supporting him by holding his hand while he was grabbing onto the stair rail for dear life with the other, they had slowly made it up, and finally the last step had been conquered.

"There you go, captain," Emma smiled at him, and kissed him on the cheek, "aye love. How are the two of you?" He asked her, and laid an arm around her as they slowly went to their bedroom. "We're fine, I'm just tired of vomiting up everything I eat," she sighed a bit as they entered their bedroom. "Aye, love, I know, but what about the grapes and the other pieces of fruit we ate just now? It seems like you can keep those down, right?" He asked her as he sat down, and began taking off his cast off.

"Yeah, right now that seems to stay down there, and let's hope this does as well," Emma told him as she took the small pack of prenatal vitamins, which Dr. Whale had prescribed her. She went to the bathroom, and got a glass to fill with water, before popping the pill down along with the water. "Dr. Whale told me it would be better for me to take these before going to bed, so we'll see how that goes," she spoke as she came into the bedroom again and laid down on her side.

"Aye, let's hope it will help you both," Killian commented as he took off his shirt and jeans, and laid down on his side.

Not before long both Emma, and Killian were fast asleep.

Several hours later, Killian was woken up by the pain in his foot. Looking at the clock it read 04:56; 'way too early to get up,' he thought to himself, and reached out for his night stand. Here he had left a glass of water alongside with a pack of painkillers, which Dr. Whale also had prescribed for him. Sitting up, he was about to gulp down the pills when a whimper caught his attention. Turning his gaze towards Emma, his vision slowly caught her form, and it was far from peaceful.

Squirming, she was clearly not at peace. "Hey, love, shh, it's okay" he tried, reaching towards her, touching her shoulder thinking she was having a nightmare, but suddenly, her eyes flew open, and she quickly got out of bed, and rushed to the bathroom.

Killian could only cringe as he heard her vomiting. He knew he couldn't do much for her. Before he would have his cast on, she would probably be back in bed. "You alright in there, love?" He called towards the bathroom, only getting some loud groaning back.

Out in the bathroom, Emma had finished off her now usually morning routine. Sitting back as she usually did after her rounds of sickness, she took some deep breaths to let her body calm down. Standing up slowly, she flushed the toilet, and went to the sink. After washing her mouth, she looked at herself in the mirror.

It wasn't only the nausea that had woken her up this time. The dream she had. It wasn't a nightmare, though it was far from pleasant. Something with a thin Chinese man, people crying, and a brown bird.


	9. Pepper Spray

**Pepper Spray**

 **Week 9: May:**

 **The body:** _Your body is going through multiple changes, Savior. Your boobs will grow even more, and believe it or not, but that's even before your milk has come in. Otherwise, you'll still be experiencing morning sickness, mood swings, and fatigue. And that's all because of hormones. Many people think that morning sickness is the first sign of pregnancy, but actually it's the fatigue that's the main source. Your body is undergoing rapid changes to accommodate your baby, and these changes will take quite the toll on your energy level._

 **The baby:** _Baby is beginning to move now, but you wouldn't be able to feel it anything for some time. Baby is growing nipples and hair follicles. The pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, and anus are now in place. The head is half the size of the body, and the chin is tucked into the chest. The tiny tail is shrinking away, and the baby will start to look more human. The arms and legs are now growing longer and straighter as well. The hands will be flexed at the wrist and will almost meet over the heart. Until now, babies will look the same, but it is in the 9th week that the baby will begin to develop either male or female genitalia, but the gender can first be revealed in several weeks, but the develop starts now. The baby is now nearly an inch long - the size of a grape, and weighs about 2 grams, less than 1 ounce._

* * *

At the Sheriff's station 15:30:

"Okay, Violet, come on, you can do this," Violet whispered to herself as she nervously paced back, and forth outside of the Sheriff's station. For almost a week now, Violet had tried to talk with either Emma, or Henry, and even though she, and Henry had spend a lot of time during the last couple of days, the moment of telling what she knew had always been either interrupted, or there had been too many people around them for her to feel safe talking about it.

Reaching out for the door handle, Violet stopped mid action, and retreated her arm back, fisting her hand. "Argh!" She groaned silently. Why couldn't she just do it? Emma wasn't a stranger, or dangerous. Okay, maybe the first time the two of them met she would have doubted that, but now Emma had taken her as a family member. They all had.

"How do I even begin?" She asked herself, and went back to pacing. "Hey there, Emma? - No, too happy. Hello Emma? - Maybe too casual. Argh! Come on, I can't even greet her now?" Frustration almost took over, and Violet had to stop up and take a deep breath.

"Okay, I'm just going to walk in there, and see what happens. Okay, here we go," she whispered to herself, and was about to go for it when a "Violet!" Stopped her in her actions. Turning around, she recognized Regina's black Mercedes Benz, and inside the very owner was sitting, bending over the passenger seat, smiling at her. "Henry is not in there today, he's at mine!" She called out from her seat.

"I know, but I was'n -" Violet tried to explain, but was interrupted by Regina reaching over the passenger seat, and opening the door. "Jump in!" She called and patted the seat in the front. Violet stood a bit unsure. While she really wanted to talk with Emma right now, she wasn't sure on how to turn Regina's offer down. Violet's shoulders sank as she decided to go with Regina.

On the ride, Violet kept silent, and stared down at her hands. While Regina knew that the girl wasn't the loudest speaker in the family, her silence seemed somewhat worrying. "So, Violet, I'm glad I have you here alone now that I actually want to talk with you about something," Regina began, and tried to eye the young girl beside her while concentrating on driving. "Oh, okay?" Violet answered unsurely, and looked up from her hands. 'There was no way that Regina knew, right?' Violet thought to herself, and sank a heavy lump.

Pulling the car up to a quick hold on the street, Regina stopped the car, and turned towards Violet who was now stiff as a board. Her mouth was dry, and she could feel the heat rise up within her. "And it's a quite serious matter," the older woman continued which certainly didn't help Violet's nerves at all, and she tried with all her might not to show her nervousness. She sank, took a deep breath and waited for it.

"I want to ask you if you would like to be one of my bridesmaids for the wedding?"

The relief within Violet felt like a ton of bricks falling from her shoulders. Luckily, Regina didn't seem to notice her sudden relaxation, and all Violet could do was nodding. "Y-yes, yes, of course! I would love to," she finally answered, finding her voice again. Regina smiled warmly back at the girl, and stirred the car back on the road again. "I'm so glad to hear that, Violet," she told the younger girl, and held back when they reached a red light.

"So, are you planning on coming to the party tonight?" Regina asked as she leaned back on the driver's seat. "Yes, I've agreed with Henry on coming with him. First I was going home to myself to do homework, and change clothes, but now it seems more practical to do it at yours. Would that be a problem? Violet asked quietly, and smiled slightly when Regina shook her head as she drove for the green light. "Not at all, sweetheart, you're welcome to stay with us until tonight."

Tonight a small party at Granny's was planned. Storybrooke had been so peaceful, despite the robbery at Mr. Gold's shop, and with a wedding, and a new family member coming up, Granny had decided to host a small celebration for the town's people, and so far, everyone seemed to have reported their arrival.

When Regina finally pulled into the driveway of her mansion, Violet vent inside almost immediately. Walking inside the great house, she was met by the sound of both Henry, and Robin's voices from the living room. "Oh, great, here we go again," Regina sighed as she went inside as well, and Violet gave her a slight smile with her eyebrows lifted a bit.

Those shouts, and the smell of popcorn could only mean one thing; PS4 FIFA 2017 Tournament. Henry Mills Vs. Robin of Locksley. It was Friday after all.

Walking inside the living room the theory was proven to be as true as it could be, but both became surprised when a certain pirate was among the gamers as well. On the small glass coffee table a bowl of popcorn and several cans of soda, and beer were standing.

Regina had to take a deep breath, and reminded herself that magic could clean it all up to avoid going into full Bree Van de Kamp-mode.

"And there! Bam! He scores once again!" Henry shouted as his player kicked the ball inside the goal, and tossed the console down to lift his arms out in victory.

"Hey! I was distracted! It's not fair attacking when I'm having a drink!" Robin protested, and sat his can down, and grabbed his console tight. Time for revenge!

"Guys, GUYS!" Regina shouted to get the boy's attention, and Henry quickly put the game on pause before all three of them turned around. It was quite the sight. It was clear that they had expected Regina to come home way later, and they all looked like a bunch of teens being caught in having a party while mom was out of town.

Violet had to bite her lip not to laugh out loud. Right now, all her problems and thoughts seemed to be gone. "I think, I'll retreat to Henry's room," she announced silently, and grabbed her bag, before going upstairs, leaving mother Regina alone with the three boys.

"As long as this is all cleaned up, and you are ready for Granny's party tonight, I can deal with this," she told them breathing deeply which clearly told them that she was showing way more patience than usual.

"Don't worry, dear. You wouldn't be able to see that we were here in the first place," Robin answered, and stood up to give his fiancé a greeting hug, and kiss. "Where are Zelena, and the kids?" Regina asked when Robin pulled away, and looked around a bit confused. "They're at playing grounds. Zelena went for a walk with Jade to make her sleep, and took Roland with her," Henry told, and gestured for Robin to come back so the game could continue.

Regina only nodded by that answer, and turned her attention to the pirate on her couch who laid with his cast leg on the armrest of the couch. "And what about you, pirate? Don't you have a pregnant wife to take care of?" Regina asked, and crossed her arms.

"Aye, but let's just say that after this morning, I'm glad that I still have my head," he answered looking back at her quickly, before returning his gaze to the screen. "Wow! What did you do?" Henry asked while keeping his attention on the game. "Nothing!" Killian almost shouted out which made both Henry, and Robin look at him quickly. "Come on, mate, something must have happened," Robin spoke out, and went back to the game, but still kept on listening.

"I didn't do anything besides looking at her, when she asked if she had gone bigger on, you know, the upper part of her body," Killian told them, looking at them, and became quite surprised when Henry had to stop the game once again, and all three gave him their widest stares he had seen. "You just stared at her? Man, you're living on the edge," Robin commented in slight disbelief. "Of course, she asked me to," Killian defended not seeing where he had gone wrong.

Regina had covered her eyes with her hands by now in an up giving gesture.

"Mate, you have to learn things like that. You don't look. You just say 'no, honey, you look beautiful as always' no matter what," Robin told him, and both him, and Henry went back to the game, leaving an quite perplexed Killian back. "Where did you learn that?" He asked Robin finally, looking at him. "After my time with both Marian, Zelena, and the lovely lady standing here, you pick up a thing or two," Robin answered while playing, and shouted out in annoyance when one of Henry's players took the ball from his.

"Anyway, I think I'm going to stay out of the lioness's cave for now, and I'll go with you at Granny's tonight," Killian told them, and reached over to get his can of beer.

"How does Granny even know about the pregnancy? I mean, I don't recall either Emma or I telling her, or anyone else beside you guys," Killian wondered out loud as he caressed his chin. "That's because your mother-in-law wasn't thinking things through when she decided to share the news with Leroy," Henry answered, while playing. "Leroy?!" Regina shouted out a bit surprised, "why didn't she just go up to the clock tower, and announced it with a megaphone?" Robin asked while moving the cursors on the controller with his thumbs. "Mom asked quite the same question to her after everyone congratulated her at Granny's when we went in there a few days ago," Henry told them, laughing a bit, but cursed under his breath when one of his players lost the ball.

* * *

At Granny's 18:00 pm, same night:

The small family diner was almost filled up with people. Almost the whole of Storybrooke had come here to celebrate the good times happening in the small town.

The bell rang, and in came Regina, Henry, Violet, Robin, Killian, Zelena, and the kids. "And there we have the engaged people!" Everyone inside the dinner cheered as the upcoming married couple went inside, and all of them got a drink in hand almost as soon as they came in.

The Charmings had occupied the middle booth in the diner, and quickly, the group of newcomers went to them, but for all of them, and especially Killian, they became surprised when a certain blonde wasn't present.

"Where's Emma?" Killian asked as Snow made room for him, and Regina to sit down beside them. "We thought she was with you?" Snow asked confused as she held Neal up to sit herself up in a better position.

"No, I have been with them all day," Killian told them, and nodded towards Regina, and Robin. "That's weird," Snow commented frowning at David; "did she say something to you?" She asked as she noticed that he didn't seem as confused. "Yeah, she called me earlier today. We agreed on making the emergency calls to her personal, and we would share the night shift tonight, and that's also the reason for no alcohol for my part tonight," he answered as he held up his glass of coke, and sipped of it. "Did she say when she would arrive?" Snow asked again as she took a sip of her own drink. Shaking his head, David swallowed and put the glass back on the table; "she told me that she would return home to take a shower, and shift her clothes. I don't think it'll take long from now," he told her calmly, and looked at his watch for a short moment.

Meanwhile, Henry, and Violet had sat themselves at the last booth where some of their friends from school were sitting, and they quickly fell into talk, or Henry did. Violet on the other hand, tried to follow the conversation, but kept looking around to see if she could spot a certain person. While she saw some of her friends from the math group, Mei was among them, and she could feel her stomach tighten. Something wasn't right.

The air around her seemed to get thicker, and she felt that she needed some fresh air. Quickly she stood up, and told Henry that she needed to go outside for at moment. "You're okay?" He asked her slightly worried, and held her arm, "I'm fine, Henry, I just need to get outside for a moment," she shrugged him off, and retreated her arm, before grabbing her jacket, and went outside.

The sun was almost setting, but the air was still warm enough to sit outside. Only few people had taken that opportunity, one of them being Zelena. Quickly, Violet spotted the red headed woman sitting by one of the tables with baby Jade in her arms. While Violet wasn't that close to Zelena, the woman seemed to be friendly enough, especially when thinking about her earlier days as the Wicked Witch, and slowly went towards her.

Sensing that someone stood by her, Zelena looked up from her baby girl, to see the younger girl had approached her. "Hello there, sweetie," she greeted, smiling, and gestured for Violet to sit down on the chair beside her. "Hey," Violet greeted back, and took her seat, and sat slightly tensed with her hands folded.

"You alright?" Zelena asked, and eyed the girl beside her while cradling Jade who was now sleeping. Violet looked at her for a moment, and then down at her hands, but then a thought hit her; maybe Zelena was the one she could confess to? Of what Violet had been told, the woman beside her had had quite the ups, and downs with this family, to say the least. Perhaps, Zelena was more likely to understand her, and could give her some advice?

"C-can I tell you something without you telling anyone?" Violet asked unsurely, and looked up at her again. Zelena could feel the Violet's tension, and the need for coming out with something, and without thinking any further, she nodded at the younger girl. "Of course, sweetheart. You can tell me if something's bothering you. Is it Henry?" She asked, but frowned a little when Violet shook her head slightly;

"No, it's not Henry. It's...It's something else. I...I have done something, or, or not done something, more said something or...or," Violet kept stumbling in her voice, and got more insecure by the moment. This conversation had been way easier with her father. Now she was caught. She knew she couldn't escape by lying to the woman beside her. Heck that would just make things even worse.

Zelena reached an arm out, and laid a hand the girl's shoulder while holding her baby with her other arm. "Hey, take it easy sweetie, and tell me. Whatever you have done, I can quarantine that it can't be as bad as what I have done in my past," she smiled at Violet, and retreated her hand back. Violet relaxed a bit by the touch, and at the confession, but had to sink a bit before continuing;

"I've done something, and I don't know how to tell either Henry, or Emma," Violet began, and took a deep breath. At that Zelena raised her eyebrows a bit in surprise, and sat up slightly. Once again, Violet tried to come to cord, but once again, she found herself unsure, and stumbling over her words. Zelena watched the girl, and decided to step in. "Okay, let's do something else. Listen to me for a second, okay?" Violet looked up at Zelena, and nodded at her request;

"Not many years ago, I would never have thought, let alone dream of the idea of sitting here, having come to peace with my sister, and actually have a small family with this little emerald here," she told Violet, and gestured with a nod towards little Jade, which made Violet smile slightly.

"-but you have certainly come a long way."

Both Violet, and Zelena became a bit startled by the new voice breaking in. They both looked up, and was met by the sight of Snow with baby Neal in her arms. They had been so occupied in their small conversation that they hadn't even heard the door of the diner opening, or sensed someone approaching.

"Oh, I'm sorry for interrupting, but do you mind if I join in?" Snow asked, and both Violet, and Zelena shook their heads; "no, of course not," Zelena answered, and gestured for Snow to sit on the chair on the other side of the table. "Oh, yeah, is this better?" Snow asked Neal as she sat down with him on her lap; "I think the noise in there became a little too loud for the prince here," she told them, and cradled the baby in her arms.

Zelena could sense that the appearance of another person, let alone the mother of Emma, and the grandmother of Henry, had made Violet even more insecure in telling whatever she had on her mind, and now sat once again, and was completely silent.

"So, Violet, what are you doing out here? Why aren't you inside with Henry, and the others?" Snow asked the younger girl. "Oh, well, I'm not the biggest party person. It's a little too loud, and too crowded, and I needed the fresh air," Violet told Snow who just nodded at her answer.

By now, the sun was completely set, and the air had begun to become slightly colder, and after a while it was only the three of them sitting in the darkness with only the bulbs from the diner's fence gave them light.

Zelena decided to try, and see if she could get more out of Violet, even though Snow was present as well. Of all people, Snow would probably be understanding of whatever the girl had gotten herself into.

"As I was about to say, Violet, I have done terrible, terrible things in my past, and so has a lot of other people here, but we have all gone to the other side," she began as she turned her attention back towards the young teenager.

Whatever they were talking about, Snow immediately caught onto that it was something about pasts, and decided to join in; "oh yes, and as I said, you certainly have come far, Zelena, and I'm being honest when I say that I'm so proud of both you, Regina, Killian, Rumple, and all the other 'villains' who have come to terms with yourself, and started over," she told the redheaded woman beside her, and cradled Neal as he was slowly falling to sleep in her arms.

"You can really forgive them for all they have done?" Violet asked squinting her eyes a bit at Snow.

"I believe that whatever anyone has done, it has an expiring date. We can't all go around, and keep blaming people for what they did in their past, no matter how terrible," Snow told her, and looked down at Neal, before looking up, and out in space.

"I remember some years ago, not long after Regina's curse was broken. We had a party like this one, also at Granny's, and Emma had invited Regina. Both me, David, and everyone else were all against it, but I will never forget Emma's answer; that Regina deserved the chance to redeem herself. I might not have agreed with her back then, but now, after all these years, I see what she meant. What love, and forgiveness can do to a person is unbelievable. Emma saw something in Regina that neither of us back then could see, and look at us now! I mean, here I am, helping her with her upcoming wedding! It has definitely taught me something; even the baddest of people can change, if they're given the chance. And heck, even us 'good' people can do bad things too, I mean, look at what I did to Cora!" Pausing a bit, Snow looked at both of them; "I don't think that you should forget what people have done, but you also have to be able to move on. "

Both Violet, and Zelena was mesmerized by Snow's small speech. Inside, Violet could feel relief taking over her, and she felt safer, and was about to try and confess again.

But then, suddenly, the front door of Granny's burst open, and David almost flew out. Not long after, Killian, Regina, Robin, and Henry came looking as confused, and worried as Snow, Zelena, and Violet now did.

"What is happening?!" Snow asked as she, Zelena, and Violet stood up quickly. Luckily, the action hadn't caused neither Neal or Jade to wake up.

"Robbery at Gepetto's!" David told her as he stopped up. "There has been a report, and Emma has been attacked!" David shouted before he took off towards the station, not glancing back at the now shocked, and horrified faces he left behind.

* * *

At Emma and Killian's, earlier, same day, 16:30:

Emma yawned loudly as she entered her and Killian's Victorian house. Once again, the day had been a tough one to go through. Tiredness, nausea, and soreness in her body had almost teared off all energy left inside of her. She had tried both coffee, and eating small bites of a sandwich to keep her energy up, but it had all ended up with her bending over the toilet bowl at the station a few moments after.

She had been close to cancel tonight, but she had agreed to participate in Granny's small party this night, and she didn't want to disappoint anyone by staying away. She was still on her shift, but had decided that since nothing seriously was happening, she had gone home to take a shower and change clothes, after she had called her father to agree on arranging the shift for tonight.

Killian was at Regina's, she knew that, and while she did remember being very angry at him this morning, she had hoped for him to be here. On the other hand, she had overreacted to his answer for a question that she had asked herself. She really didn't blame him for staying away today, and Emma smiled to herself of the thought of him giving her the space. That, or he also wanted to spend some boy's time with the PS4 - that was a very option too.

As she sat down on their couch in the living room, the comfort and her tiredness combined had made her really, really drowsy. Though she knew the 'danger' of this, she had laid down, "just a few minutes," she had whispered to herself, but it hadn't taken long before she was fast asleep.

About two hours later, the sudden call on her cellphone jerked Emma awake from her otherwise deep, and nice sleep. Sitting up slowly, and wincing a bit at the high tone, she reached for the phone which she had laid on the coffee table, beside the couch, and looked at the display. First, she thought it was either her mother, or Killian as she could see that the party had started half an hour ago, but to her surprise it wasn't a familiar number, which could only mean one thing: emergency.

Quickly, she tapped on the green button on her smartphone, and held it to her ear; "Sheriff, Emma Swan," she responded, and stood up immediately.

"Emma! It's Gepetto! Come quickly! There's people inside my workshop, and they're trashing everything!" Gepetto shouted horrified on the other line.

"Okay, Gepetto, I need you to be calm, and stay where you are. I'm on my way!"

A sudden burst of energy sparked inside of Emma as she gathered her long black fabric jacket, and swung it on while holding the phone to her ear. When getting the confession from Gepetto, she hung up, put her phone in her pocket, and hurried outside. While she knew that she could get there in minutes by driving she also knew the risk of the robbers running away when hearing, or seeing her car, especially if the sirens were on. Emma decided to go for the magic solution; quickly, she waved her hand up in the air, and disappeared in a cloud of grey smoke.

Emma landed right inside of the workshop, and when the smoke finally dissolved, she caught the glimpse of four figures in the room while trying to shake off the weird feeling of being slightly lightheaded.

The workshop was a mess, and all four robbers stopped what they were doing, and looked towards her. They were all wearing black outfits with black hoods to cover their identities, and Emma didn't have a chance to recognise any of them.

"Everyone stop what you are doing right now! You are all under arrest for robbery!" She shouted at them in a firm, and authoritarian voice, and was about to fish her pocket for her gun when it hit her that it, of course, wasn't with her here, but in the glovebox in her yellow bug, at her house. "Damn it!" She hissed at herself, and her distraction gave the robbers the perfect opportunity as they all took off.

"HEY!" She yelled at them, and went after them. Pregnancy, sickness, tiredness, and soreness. None of these seemed to on Emma's mind as she sprinted after the robbers, yelling at them to stop.

She was about to reach out, and use her magic to stop them, but as she caught up to one of them, the robber suddenly stopped up, and turned around. Before Emma could react, the person had pulled out a long black can, and a thin, yellow, compressed beam was sprayed into her face.

The shock, the immediate pain on her skin, and eyes, and blindness caused for Emma to crash to the asphalt road. Her eyes stung terribly, and she tried to wipe the substance out, but the touch caused even more irritation, and pain. It felt like her skin was boiling, and she couldn't see anything. She tried despite the pain, and loss of sight to stand up, but her disorientation caused her to fall back onto the ground.

The three other robbers turned around to see what was happening. One of them went up to the one who had attacked Emma; "what the hell are you doing?" A female voice hissed from the black hood. "Pacifying the enemy, what else?" A male voice answered as they both looked back at the blond woman who was now sitting on her knees while supporting herself with one hand on the ground, and covering her eyes with the other.

"The enemy? She's not the enemy! She's the Savior! We need her!" The female voice almost shouted back. "What was I supposed to do? Let her capture me?" The male voice answered back as mad as she was. The female figure shook her head, and was on her way towards Emma, when the sound of a voice broke through, and the third member of the small gang grabbed her arm, "come on! We need to go back, we didn't find what we searching for anyway, and it's only pepper spray, she will survive," a second male voice whispered, and dragged the female slightly before she went away with them on her own.

"Emma!" Gepetto shouted as he ran towards the fallen woman. He had been in his house just across the workshop, where he had witnessed the robbers going into the shop, and had heard them trashing inside. He had stayed put after calling for help, and had watched the chase, and the attack on the Savior. "Emma! Are you alright?!" He asked worried as he reached her, and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. Emma couldn't respond. Instead, she cried out as the searing pain from the yellow substance stung in her eyes, and on her face. Her breathing was raspy, and she felt as if she was choking and to make things worse, she couldn't orientate herself, or see anything.

"Don't worry, Emma, I'm going to call for help," Gepetto assured her, and pulled out his cellphone to call David; "hello, David, it's me, Gepetto! Listen, there's been a robbery at my workshop," he started out while keeping his hand on Emma's shoulder; "I don't know yet, but...Listen, David...I did, and Emma came right away, b.,but one of robbers attacked her, and she's down for the mo...I don't know, it looks like they sprayed something into her eyes, I...okay, okay,...I'll stay here with her," and with that he listened as David told him that he would be there as soon as possible, before hanging up.

"Help is on the way, Emma," Gepetto assured her, and put his phone back in his pocket. Emma wasn't listening to anything at the moment. All she could concentrate on was the intense pain and irritation on her skin, and eyes.

Not before long, the sound of sirens was heard in the neighborhood, and the red and blue lights from the sheriff's wagon lit up the dark street. Almost as soon as the car was parked, David almost jumped out, and beside the car, a cloud of purple smoke appeared, revealing: Killian, Regina, Snow, and Henry.

"Emma!" Snow shouted out, and ran towards her daughter as soon as the smoke dissolved. David had already reached Emma, and took from Geppetto who stepped back. Slowly, David squatted down to his distressed daughter.

Emma was still too disoriented to notice anything around her, and when a hand suddenly grabbed the hand she used to cover her face with, she flailed back, and whimpered painfully. "Shh, Emma, it's okay, it's okay, it's just me," David shushed at her, and reached out slowly to grab har arms, and gently sat her back on her knees. The recognition of her father's voice seemed to calm her down, and David gently removed her hand, and cringed at the yellow substance that was splattered out on her face, and in her eyes.

"Can you try, and open your eyes for me?" He asked her gently as he held her face, and brushed his thumb soothingly across her scraped cheek. Emma tried to do as she was asked to, but even the slightest flicker with her eyelids caused immediate pain, and it stung even more than before. By now, Snow was squatted down by her husband too, and had taken one of Emma's hands, and squeezed it tightly. Both of them cringed by the sight of their daughter in such distress, and pain.

"Sweetheart, what happened?" Snow tried to ask, but only a whimper sounded from Emma. "Pepper spray," David answered for her as he stood up; "Snow, take Emma back to the station with Regina, and Henry. It will take off at some point, so I don't think the hospital is necessary, but call Dr. Whale anyway to hear if we can help reduce it. Meanwhile I'll stay here, and talk with Gepetto, and we will find out if something has been stolen," David told Snow, and gestured for Killian to take his place, which he took immediately.

"Hey there, love," Killian spoke softly as he bent down, and took Emma's other arm. Together with Snow, he helped her up on her feet. The Pain in his leg was all forgotten as he helped steading his wife back on her feet. Emma was very unsure on her feet as she was still blinded, and she held onto, what she could recognize was her mother's shoulder, with all her might. "It's okay, baby, lean on me. We're here for you," Snow whispered as they slowly walked towards Regina, and Henry.

"Mom!" Henry shouted out worried as he watched Snow, and Killian helping Emma towards them. "What happened?" Regina asked shocked as they all three reached them, and she reached out to take over from Killian. Though he wanted to help his wife with all that he had, the pain from walking on his healing foot, while supporting Emma had become too much.

"The robbers attacked Emma with pepper spray. I have agreed with David to go to the station, while he talks with Gepetto," Snow told them as she, and Regina guided Emma into the middle of the group. Quickly, Regina flicked her free wrist, and they were all surrounded by a cloud purple smoke.

At the station, Robin, Zelena, and Violet were waiting along with the kids. Roland was sleeping in on of the beds in one the cells while Neal, and Jade were sleeping in their strollers.

A poof sounded, and in the open area between the two office tables, and the jail cells, a cloud of purple smoke appeared shortly, and revealed Snow, Killian, Regina, Henry, and a still blinded Emma.

Quickly all three stood up as Snow, and Regina gently helped Emma to sit down on the couch by the window. In the light, Snow could finally get a better look at her daughter. Her face was plastered with the yellow substance from the spray. Her chin, and cheeks had scrapes from her fall, and her jeans were torn, and her knees were also scraped.

"I'm calling Dr. Whale," Snow announced, and stood up, walked away a bit, and took out her phone. After dialing, she waited a couple of seconds before there was answer on the other line; "Dr. Whale," came the quick response, and Snow immediately described what had happened;

"Okay, I see. The duration of a pepper spray can usually last around thirty to forty-five minutes, but the diminished effects can last for hours," he told her, and cleared his throat before continuing; "I know she doesn't have any kind of asthma, or any other breathing difficulty, so it's not dangerous for her, and she doesn't need to come here," he told her through the phone. Nodding, Snow cleared her throat, and asked; "what can we do for her?"

"The best you can do for her is to ask her to blink several times. The blinking will produce tears, and they will flush out the irritation. It will sting, and hurt pretty badly in the beginning, but it would help. Also, water! Not directly on her eyes, but you can use water to clear the her face, or even better, use baby shampoo! It will definitely reduce the pain, and I know you have small children," Dr. Whale guided her professionally. "What about the baby? I can see that she fell by the scrapes on her cheeks, and knees. Should we be worried?" Snow whispered trying not be too loud with that question. "It doesn't sound like the fall was that severe. The risk of miscarriages lies on 5% during the 9th week, and if she by now hasn't complained about pain in her abnorm, I wouldn't worry," he answered Snow which made her calm down immediately.

"Okay, I'll get the things you listed. Thank you for your help," Snow responded before she hung up, and returned her attention towards her daughter who sat with Killian by her side. The man did everything he could to soothe, and calm her down by holding her hands tightly, but Emma was still blinded, disoriented, and in terrible pain. Though she was aware of where they were, it was still very uncomfortable not being able to see her surroundings.

"Regina, could you use your magic, and bring a bottle of baby shampoo?" Snow asked as she turned towards Regina quickly. Nodding, Regina instantly held her hand out, and the baby shampoo for Jade appeared. Regina did however giver her sister a quick 'is it okay?-Look before giving the bottle to Snow as Zelena nodded at her instantly without a doubt.

"Emma, sweetheart, I need you to blink as much as you can," Snow began, and hissed along with her daughter as she tried to blink a couple of times, but couldn't continue much longer as more of the substance went into her eyes. Emma whimpered in pain, and closed her eyes tightly. "I know, baby, I know," Snow whispered, but smiled inside as she could see the tears starting to trail down. "The tears will help you, sweetheart, just continue," Snow encouraged, and was handed a towel by Violet who had quickly retrieved it from the small bathroom earlier on; "thanks," Snow whispered as she took the towel after opening the bottle of baby shampoo. She poured the shampoo it into the fabric in her hand, and held it up towards Emma's face and gently started to wipe the yellow substance away from her daughter's face. "There, there," Snow whispered soothingly.

Emma kept on blinking, and it was still really painful, but after her mother had wiped away the spray near her eyes, she could feel the pain lessen, and as more tears came out, it also became easier to blink, and slowly her sight returned.

Some time after, David walked into the station.

"How is she?" He asked as Snow went up to him. "She's getting better, but Dr. Whale told me it could take a lot of time before she's 100% back," she told him. "She's staying with us tonight. I know she has Killian, but I want to be around in her state"

David only nodded in agreement, and turned his attention to the rest of the people in the room; "I think we should all retreat for now. Emma needs to get the rest, and tomorrow we will figure out who did this. The robbery is very similar to the one at Mr. Gold's, so I'm pretty sure that we are talking about the same persons," he told the group, and all nodded in agreement and stood up.

Regina quickly gathered Robin, Zelena, who took Jade, and Roland, and Henry, and Violet joined them too.

Everyone had been so caught up in taking care of Emma, and talking about the robbery that no one noticed how Violet had gone more, and more silent, and more, and more pale. At one point, she had even considered going home to her father, but she found herself unmoving, and as Regina summoned her purple cloud of smoke to bring them home, Violet closed her eyes deeply, and breathed out slowly. Guilt weighing heavily like a ton of bricks on her shoulders.

* * *

 **I know, a bit more 'depressed' mode to finish things off for this chapter, but the drama is needed ;)**

 **One of my favorite scenes from OUAT s. 1 ep. 1. - the talk between Regina and Snow - how I love that scene. The honesty in their talks and how much those two characters had evolved just shined through. The scene I had between Snow, Zelena, and Violet was heavily inspired from it, and actually it was supposed to be only Snow, and Zelena, but since I made this chapter a bit Violet-focused, I thought it would be 'fun' to try and make it a combo between the three - and I can tease and say that there will soon be another scene like that.**

 **Otherwise, I don't think I have anything more to add than once again, thank you for the 'fast' reviewers, and yes, every single week will be done with a medical description of the process :), and once again, I'm mesmerized by the amount of followers and faves, I mean, 46 faves, and 82 follows! Wow 0_0 - I'm just so happy that people are actually reading this - as I said last time, I was sure that even CS fans was tired of the pregnancy-story :)**

 **Flaxen.**


	10. Keeping Secrets

**Keeping Secrets**

 **Week 10: June:**

 **The body:** _Good news, Savior! The rollercoaster of nausea may almost be over, but unfortunately that's not the case when it comes to the emotions. The hormones raging through your body can wreak havoc on your emotional sanity, so be prepared to spend the next few months swinging from one end of the emotional pendulum to the other. Tiredness will still be bothering you. Take naps, and go to bed early, and though you're not a fan of it, consider giving some of your tasks to either your father or pirate. Right now, your uterus is the size of a grapefruit. Even if you're not there yet, your regular clothes are probably feeling uncomfortably tight. You'll slightly start to gain more weight, and slowly, but surely, the baby bump will begin to grow._

 **The baby:** _Your baby is finally starting to look more like a baby than a tadpole. The face is beginning to look more human-like, and the 'tail' from the developing of the spinal cord has disappeared, and fused into the spinal column. Your baby now has discernible fingers and toes, which will explain the steady stream of kicks and punches that you'll feel later down the road. The vital organs; the kidneys, the intestines, the brain, and the liver are all in place now, and they'll begin to function, but will still continue to develop. The baby is now at the size of a kumquat - about 1 1/4 inches long, and weighs 4 grams - less than a quarter of an ounce. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size - nearly 3 inches._

* * *

At Emma and Killian's, midnight:

The dream would start out as it always did;

 _The sky above her was a beautiful sunset, gradient with orange, pink, purple and yellow. In front of her a beautiful, and great jade-green Chinese palace stood. She would be standing outside at the entrance. Turning around, she was faced with the most magnificent sight she had ever seen. A valley spreading far out as her eyes could see. Laughter and happiness filled the air around the small village she could see, but then, the dream would change to almost nightmarish scenarios. The beautiful sunset above her would turn into a blood red night. Around her, people surrounded her. They were crying for her to help them, and she would ask what they needed. She would never get the answer, instead someone from the crowd would give her a small bundle in her hand, when opening her hands to see what it was given to her, a golden, but broken bird was lying in her hands._

And then she would wake up.

The dream that had appeared now had been the same appearing in her sleep for the last two week, but she couldn't help feeling that she was missing something important from that dream, or vision if you will, and it would show after the mechanical bird was given to her, but she would always wake up before that.

Night had fallen upon the small town in Maine hours ago, and though there had been yet another robbery in Storybrooke, the night was calm, and both Emma, and Killian were lying in their bed, having David on the shift for the night.

Emma sat up slightly, careful not to wake Killian up. Taking a deep breath, she ran her hand across her face, and took of her covers. Even though it was in the middle of the night, and the recent days had been hell with her usual sickness, but also now with a case that included two robberies and one attack on her, Emma knew that falling asleep now would be quite the challenge, and she would be tired as hell the next day. The warmth of early June was coming through, and the heat certainly didn't help either.

Slowly, she swung her legs from the bed and onto the wooden floor, and slowly stood up, and went to the bathroom. She wasn't sick, but she needed just a moment to collect herself.

After letting the cold water running enough for her to wash her face, but silent enough to avoid waking Killian, she splashed some water onto her forehead and rubbed her face. Letting the water run, she leaned onto the sink, and looked at herself in the mirror. Even though it was still dark, it was light enough for her to find her way around, and get a somewhat good look at herself through the reflective glass.

Letting her head drop, she lost herself deep in thought; The dream would always leave her in this state after it would wake her up. What did it mean? Was it yet another vision of the future? The dream was far as troubling as the visions about Gideon she had before the final battle, but it was still somewhat worrying.

She stopped the water, and lightly dried her face with the towel hanging by the mirror. Slowly she went back to bed, and silently laid back down again. She took a deep breath, and tried to fall back asleep which wasn't successful at all. She tried to lie on both sides, then on her back, then on her stomach, but nothing helped!

Groaning in frustration she gazed towards her husband. He was fast asleep lying on his side towards her, not sensing a thing. Smiling slightly, she reached over, and gently caressed his cheek, carefully not to wake him while she caressed her stomach with her other hand.

She knew she should tell him. They had long ago agreed on not keeping any secrets from each other, or at least, secrets that even unintentionally would harm one another.

Taking her hand back, she simply just laid there, watching him as she caressed her stomach with her other hand. Her little family, and how he was going to be the perfect father, she thought to herself as she took back her hand, and looked up towards the ceiling, taking a deep breath again, and closed her eyes.

As she was slowly drifting back to sleep, she couldn't decided whether it was in her mind, or not that she could hear a bird singing so beautifully that it calmed her down enough for her to slowly drifted her off to a peaceful, and dreamless sleep.

* * *

At the Charmings, Sunday morning:

After having fed the horses, and letting them out in their paddocks, Snow had just went inside, and had got out of her morning shower when she heard the sounds of Neal beginning to wail. Knowing that David had been up all night on shift, she quickly dried herself, got dressed, and took Neal up, cradling him, and humming to him while she carried him out to their bathroom to change his diaper.

"There, all cleaned up. I guess the prince is hungry now?" She whispered to him, smiling brightly as the baby laughed right back at her as if he understood her perfectly. "I guess that big sister is showing her genes right through you, mister," she told the baby as she lifted him up after changing him, and slowly went downstairs.

"So, what is the prince up to now?" Snow asked her son when she was finished feeding him with her own homemade oatmeal baby porridge. Neal began bumping in his seat as he began wailing again though he had just been fed, and Snow could tell that he was still tired. "Alright then, come here," she whispered, and lifted him up after putting his small bowl, and spoon in the dishwasher.

While giving Neal his outerwear on, Snow cringed as he was still fussing a bit, and she tried her best to calm him down as she put on her own coat. "Shh, shh, honey," she shushed him, and hoped that David wasn't disturbed in his sleep by the sounds. As she was about to go outside with him, Neal began wailing even more, and she feared that his cries could be heard even from the outside. Quickly, she made her decision, and grabbed the babylift, and laid him in, and tucked him in the small blue cover. That made him calm down a bit more, but his cries was still loud, and Snow grabbed the handles, and the carriage, and went outside to the car. A car ride, and a walk in the park would be for this morning walk, and then breakfast at Granny's, she decided.

It was still early in the morning, and the sun shone brightly through the trees in the park by the pond. The dew left drops on the grass, and when shone upon, it looked like small diamonds glinting in the ground.

Walking along the dirt pathway with Neal in the baby carriage. Snow breathed in the fresh air of the morning as she closed her eyes for a bit. Neal was almost falling asleep again, was only making small noises.

Despite the surrounding areas at their farm was beautiful in the morning as well, Snow would always love the calming sensation the small pond brought upon her. The water was completely still. It reflected the trees beautifully, and only a few ducks broke the picture as they came swimming by to see if she would have something for them to eat. Stopping up, she laughed a bit at the sight of them. "Sorry, guys," she called out to them, laughing again when she got some quacks in return.

She stood there for a while, enjoying the view. Her gaze caught a white bundle out in the pond, and she realized, she was staring at a beautiful mute swan as it lifted its head out of the water, and gazed towards her. Snow couldn't help, but awe at the sight as it spread its wings out, and stretched them by flapping them out in the air. The majestic waterfowl collected its wings again, and began swimming towards her slowly, hissing at the ducks on its way.

Snow didn't know if it was going to attack her, and became a little unsure in whether to keep standing, but the swan simply just looked at her as it neared her, and inspected her to see if the human was of any danger, but then it turned around, and slowly swam back.

Breathing out relieved, Snow looked down towards Neal to see that he finally was fast asleep again. Snow looked at the clock on her phone, and could see that Granny's would first open in an hour from now.

Snow considered for a moment if she should just go home, and make some breakfast for both David, and her instead of waiting. She was about to turn around to walk back towards her car when a figure sitting on the bench on the other side of the bond caught her eyes. Snow glanced between the road back to the parking lot, and the woman sitting on the bench with her own bundle in her arms. Making her decision, Snow turned the carriage, and began walking around the pond.

"Good morning," Snow called out as she neared the red-headed woman, and smiled when Zelena looked up, and greeted her back. "So, I can see I'm not the only one who got up early today?" Zelena asked kindly, and patted the seat beside her for Snow to sit down after she had parked the carriage beside the bench. "Apparently not. His Highness decided to make quite a fuss this morning, so to avoid waking up daddy, we came by here," Snow explained as she sat down, and looked towards baby Jade in Zelena's arms. "Oh, she's growing so much," Snow whispered, and reached out to nuzzle the baby girl's cheek. "Yeah, and she's making her mommy quite busy," Zelena answered, and smiled at Snow's gesture.

A small awkward silence filled the air as both women sat in silence. Snow was looking out at the view of the pond, and Zelena cradling her baby, and it seemed like none of them knew what to say.

"So, is there anything new about the robbery the other night?" Zelena asked, breaking the silence. Snow shook her head shortly to get out of her small trance, and blinked a few times to let the question sink in. Leaning back, she crossed her arms; "both no, and yes, it depends how you look at it. It appears that nothing was stolen from Geppetto's shop, but they haven't been able to find the thieves," Snow explained. Nodding, Zelena bit at her cheek, "I see," she muttered, and went her attention back towards Jade. "It was quite the night, though," Zelena commented as she looked up from her now sleeping baby. "Oh, don't remind me," Snow sighed while scratching her forehead, and closing her eyes tightly. Spending almost the entire night last weekend by Emma's side as the after effects from the pepper spray showed was not something Snow wanted to repeat any time soon.

"It's still weird though, and there hasn't been a single trace from them?" Zelena asked turning her attention back towards Snow. "There actually was one at Rumple's shop. They found a pink scarf, and David took it back to the station, but it was lost at Killian's hospital room the day after," Snow explained looking back at the redheaded woman.

"Emma made out the voices of two males, and one female of the four from Geppetto's shop, before the attack, so that's a minor trace, I guess," Snow shrugged before continuing; "all we know is that they want to duplicate a magical object. What it is, we have no idea, and even Geppetto doesn't have a clue of what they needed from his shop," Snow explained further which made Zelena raise her eyebrows a bit in surprise. "It seems weird though. This town had faced far more threatening situations before, including me, so it seems quite weird that a bunch of teenagers are able to set the whole sheriff's department on standby," Zelena commented as she looked towards Snow again after gazing at little Jade.

"I hear you, but things haven't been going smoothly for them either. First David, and Killian were sick, then Killian broke his foot, and is still in the healing process, and now, Emma is pregnant," Snow listed, smiling brightly at the last mention. "Aren't you worried? I mean being attacked with pepper spray is one thing, but they could have done far worse, and still can as they seem to be pretty offensive," Zelena wondered a bit worried as she looked at Snow.

Snow had to mentally pinch herself on the arm. Zelena asking about that, and with that tone just seemed so unfamiliar, but incredibly touching at the same time. What a progress that woman had made. Collecting herself quickly, Snow closed her eyes for a moment and nodded; "of course I am, I mean, what kind of mother wouldn't? She has been very tired lately as she's still battling her morning sickness, and this case here is certainly not helping either, but at the same time I know that she wouldn't stand for someone to take over for her, so I don't know, honestly" Snow told her, and stared out in the air as she thought about it.

"It's weird though. It seems it was only days ago that I wouldn't have doubted in revenge on Emma after speeding up my pregnancy, but now I see that back then she was actually saving Jade. I guess when I became a mother, and got to take care of Jade, I just understood right away the unconditionally love that you have for your child, and you would give up anything for it," Zelena explained as she cradled her sleeping baby. Snow only nodded along, it wasn't easy hearing people openly admitting that they wanted to hurt her daughter, but at Zelena's last part she only smiled, knowing exactly what she meant.

"Do you feel alone here?" Snow asked suddenly, knowing she was changing the subject, and getting quite intimate with Zelena.

Zelena shot her gaze back into Snow's at that question, and was about to snap back, but when she saw the honest concern in Snow's gaze, she leaned back, and took a deep breath; "Kind of," she admitted, and sighed a little; "I mean, with the wedding coming up, I can't help but feel that both Regina, and Robin are 'leaving' me. Not that I don't want them to be happy, I do now, but still.." Zelena trailed of as she tried to explain; "I know what I did to them, and to everyone here was terrible, and I know they have somewhat forgiven me enough for them to have Regina opening her home for me instead of that abandoned house, but still...I can feel the way people are staring at me like I'm still a villain even though I'm literally powerless," Zelena explained further, and looked out in the air.

Snow only nodded along, listening as the woman beside her opened up.

"I don't know if I will ever fit in here, I mean, I have done horrible things to a lot of people here. Even you! Heck, I stole your baby when he was just born," Zelena spoke out more loudly as if she just realized that.

"Trust me, I know, and thinking back, I just remember thinking that it apparently would be my curse. That I would never have more than a few minutes with my newborn children before they were taken away from me," Snow answered, and looked towards Zelena, and grabbed her arm; "but I still mean what I said the other night, before we were interrupted by the robbery. I believe that people can change, and they should have the chance. My own, grown up daughter helped me realize that, and as I said that night: look at me! Here I am helping the same woman, who had spent centuries trying to get rid of me, with her wedding! And now we are really, really good friends as is she with a lot of the same people she considered enemies years back. Everyone has their expiring date for their crimes, and so do you, Zelena," Snow explained, and smiled dearly at Zelena as she could see tears glistening in the redheaded woman's eyes.

"If you feel alone, Zelena, don't hesitate to come by, and talk. Our home will always be open for you," Snow assured, and gave Zelena's arm a soothing squeeze. "T-thank you," Zelena whispered back honestly, and tried to calm herself down by breathing slow. Sensing the air was getting a little tense, Snow decided to lift it up again; "so, Granny's should be open now, and I'm starving! You want to come along? Breakfast is on me," Snow smiled at Zelena, and stood up to look inside of Neal's carriage to see the baby was still sleeping.

"What about your husband?" Zelena asked smirking a little when she got up as well, and put Jade in her carriage. "Either he can come if he's awake, or he will have to figure it out himself," Snow winked at her before both women began walking alongside each other, pushing each baby carriage in front of them.

Zelena smiled widely as she for the first time felt the power of a strong friendship slowly blooming.

* * *

At the station, before lunch, same day:

Ever since arriving to the town, and being face with the one crazy event after the other, including a trip to the Underworld, Killian knew to expect the unexpected here, and even with that in mind, Killian still caught himself in lifting his eyebrows, and feeling his eyes go wide as a pink scarf landed in front of him. Looking up, his eyes widened even more when he saw the person in front of him.

"Bloody hell, lass," he finally spoke out shocked as he looked at the younger girl.

"I-I need to talk to you," Violet finally let out as she felt a little bit of tension leave her. Ever since the night with the attack on Emma, Violet had felt a guilt so deep, and yesterday she had yet another broken down in front of her father, so today she knew she had to confess, regardless of who was on the shift today.

Killian had to shake out the shock before he sat up. There was no doubt. This was the very scarf that they had lost five weeks ago, and now it was back, but with an very unexpected owner.

He gestured for Violet to sit down, and stood up to close of the doors to the office to give them some privacy in case someone came in.

Sitting back down, he decided to take it easy with the young girl. She was clearly nervous and slightly shaken, and he could sense the innocence she hold despite the pink fabric being hers. Leaning over the table, he folded his hands and nodded at Violet for her to explain.

Violet had to clear her throat a couple of times before she began explaining the same way that she told her father at the night two weeks ago. About what she had told Mei, about what seemed to be a setup, and what she knew so far about Mei's situation and how it was possible that it was all connected.

"-, and I tried to tell you and other people besides my father for a long time, but I don't know, either I got interrupted, or the environment for talking about something like that wasn't right. I'm so sorry for having kept this all this time, and I feel like it was my fault the other night with Emma being attacked by them, if I had known what they were capable off -." Violet stopped in her speech as Killian interrupted her by holding his hand op. Violet obeyed immediately and stayed silent.

"I think I have heard enough, lass," Killian spoke out, and laid his hand down on, and Violet had to sink a huge lump. Was he going to arrest her? Maybe it had been a stupid idea coming to the one of the sheriffs like this, and not have a backup like Henry, or her father. Oh, dear, Henry! She hadn't told him! What was she going to do if -.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Killian clearing his throat. "Allright, listen, Violet," he began and sat back as he could sense the young girls fear, and he wanted to show her that there was nothing to fear.

"While I must say that should've indeed told us what was going on, I can also understand that fear of committing something you regret deeply, and fearing the outcome when telling people about it. Trust me, I have been there, a lot people in this town has, and I certainly don't blame you for what happened the other night. Could it have been prevented if you had told us? Probably, but who knows? The most important thing is that you, my lady, has certainly given us a very strong clue on a case that we have been bothered with for weeks now," he told the young girl, and smiled at her as he could see her relax a bit more.

"You're free to go, lass, I'm not going to hold you back, but I will ask you for the address of this Mei-girl, and her family, and me, Emma, and David will take it from there," he told her, and handed her a piece of paper and a pen for her to write things down, which she did immediately.

Violet could not quite comprehend how easily this had been. She was sure that she would have been in way bigger trouble. Killian watched the young girl, and it was almost like seeing himself when he had faced David not long ago after waking the Charmings up from their sleeping curse. He smirked a bit of the small flashback, and decided to give the young girl some words on the way. Clearing his throat as he received the paper, and looked at the young girl who still sat on the chair, clearly unsure of what to do or say;

"Violet, listen. It's not that long ago that I was faced with the very same dilemma, and if there's something that I learned from that is that in this world there two kinds of secrets. There are the ones that makes you happy, and smile when thinking about them. Those are the ones yous should keep, but those that make your stomach hurt, and keeps you awake at night are the ones you should talk to others about, and by coming here like that, and alone, I can tell that you haven't told close people like Henry yet, and I highly suggest that you do, and I'm 100% sure you'll have his support. Don't worry about Emma, and David, I will tell them for you," he told her, and winked at her to tell her that everything was allright.

Nodding, she bit her lip, and looked at him. "Thank you, Killian, I will, I promise," she assured him, and stood up. Killian stood up as well, and opened the door for her, and went out after her, and said his goodbyes before closing the front door after her, and went back to his seat in the closed of office.

While he knew that he should contact both Emma, and David right away, he wanted to sit for a moment, thinking about the situation, and how to break the news to them, especially Emma.

Lately, she had been very tired, and sick. He had been told by Dr. Whale, after a check up on his healing foot that the tiredness, and the mood swings he was faced with recently, were all natural parts of the pregnancy, and that Emma should get used to take things more easy as high stress could be dangerous for both her, and the baby. Today was her day off, and he knew that she was home resting.

Making his decision, he duck his hand into his pocket, and fished out his phone to dial David's number.

* * *

At Granny's, at lunch, the same day:

"Hey, Violet!" Henry greeted happily from the middle booth as she entered the small diner. Shortly after Violet had left the sheriff's station, she had decided to come clean with Henry too, and had texted him, asking him if he could meet her at Granny's. It turned out that he was already there, but he was not alone, unfortunately.

Regina, Robin, Snow, and Zelena + kids had joined too, and Violet couldn't help but feel quite irritated. How was she going to do this now? It would be too awkward for her to ask him to talk with her outside in front of the group, and she was working desperately to come up with another plan.

"Man, I'm so hungry, can we order now that everyone's here?" Henry asked enthusiastically as he made room for Violet to sit down beside him. Everyone else at the table laughed at Henry's outburst. Violet only laughed along half-heartedly as she could feel the need to come out with her knowledge to Henry rising up, especially with what Killian told her in mind.

"Before we order, can I tell you guys something?" Violet asked out unsurely. Sensing the seriousness in the girl's tone, everyone in the booth turned silent and eyed Violet with both questioning and worried glances.

"Sure, is everything alright, sweetie?" Snow asked, and reached with her hand underneath the table to give the girl's knees a squeeze as she sat right across Violet.

"Is this about what you wanted to tell me at the other party the other night?" Zelena asked Violet quietly, and shortly had to sit back a bit when got everyone's attention in the booth. "Yes, it is, and while I was going to tell you privately, Henry, I've decided to tell everyone here now as I've just told it to Killian back at the station," she started out, and looked at Henry nervously.

"The station? My, honey, what is going on?" Regina asked, and tried to stay as calm as possible. What could a girl like Violet have gone herself into that would be so serious that she would go to the station with it? Regina feared for a moment that something had happened to the girl.

Violet cleared her throat before she began explaining the same way she had done with Killian earlier. When she was done, she looked down at her hands, too nervous to look them in the eyes.

A hand suddenly reached over behind her, and she knew it was Henry's. He grabbed her shoulder, and before she knew it, she was pulled into a somewhat awkwardly hug as there wasn't much space for them. "Thank you for telling me, for telling us," he spoke into her ear and released her again, but still hold his grip on her shoulder, and smiled at her, honestly, and just like with Killian earlier, Violet could feel herself relax even more when she got the confirmation from the others that she was not blamed.

"Thank you, I know I should have told you earlier, but -" -you didn't know how, and honestly, I think, I would have feared the same," Zelena finished of for her, and winked at the young girl to let her know that she understood perfectly, and Violet smiled back thankfully at her.

Squeezing her shoulder tightly, Henry turned to her, "listen, Violet, I have seen this family being torn apart by them keeping secrets from each other time, and time again, and what I have learned from them is that the most hurtful is when they had to find it out themselves, and I'm truly proud of you for telling us all," he told her, and rubbed his hand on her shoulder before taking his arm back.

Nodding her thanks to everyone as they each told her that there was nothing to worry about, Violet felt so safe among them, and made everyone laugh when she finally looked at Henry and asked, "should we order then?"


	11. Lullabies

**Lullabies**

 **Week 11: June:**

 **The body:** _Due to the extreme hormones surging through your body, you will experience increased, and almost migraine like headaches, Savior, and you will maybe begin to suffer from constipation, and heartburn as well, but there's good news though. The nausea you have been plagued with will begin to wane. You're going to go through a lot of discomfort, but think of it this way; you're pregnant, and your body is cooperating with that. Nutrients are really important during pregnancy, especially; protein, calcium, and folic acid._

 **The baby:** _All of your baby's vital organs are now formed and functioning, so the risk of defects decreases this week as your baby becomes less susceptible to outside influences. The ears are now at their place, and the fingernail, and toenail beds are beginning to form. The head is nearly as big as the rest of the body. The testes, or ovaries are completely formed now, but the gender can't be told for yet a few more weeks. Your baby will begin to move its arms and legs and do somersaults, but you will not be able to feel that yet. Your baby now weighs a third of an ounce and about 2 inches long. That's about the same weight as two small Starbucks-sized sugar packets, and the length of one of them._

* * *

"Mate, I don't think it's fair to Emma. She deserves to know as much about this as we do," Killian augmented as he leaned back in his seat in the police car while David was driving.

"I know, but in her state I just don't think it's a good idea, yet, and I say we wait until we know more about that Mei girl, and what she and her friends are up to," David responded, and stopped for a red light. "-And in her state, I mean that knowing Emma, she wouldn't think twice, and she would jump right onto that girl before we know it," David interrupted before Killian could respond.

"I just don't like lying to her like that. We agreed on not keeping this kind of secrets from each other, even though it's because we think we're keeping the other safe," Killian answered as he let his arm slap limply onto his knee.

It was Thursday morning, and David had just arrived at the station about 20 minutes ago to take over from Killian, who had the night shift. A few days ago, Violet had told Killian about her knowledge of the potential thieves that had trashed both Rumple's and Geppetto's places. And while he had wanted to talk with both Emma, and David earlier, he also wanted to give the information in a way that wouldn't make both of them blame the young girl. But little did Killian know.

Violet had on the same day she had told him, also told everyone at Granny's, expect for David, and Emma. But Snow had spilled the beans for David yesterday, asking him if they had arrested that Mei-girl, and the man had almost crashed into the station with the news, and almost attacking him about already having knowledge like that. Killian had explained himself, and David had taken thinks more calm afterwards, and had offered to drive Killian home, and on the road, they discussed the fact that only one of the sheriffs were left out about the important hint Violet had given them.

At moment of silence had hit them both when David drove again for the green light, deep in thought. He knew that Killian was right. Emma should be informed as well, but after that night a few weeks ago when he, and the others found her on the ground blinded, and in pain from the pepper spray, he would give anything to not find his daughter in that kind of state again, and while he knew that that hadn't been as dangerous as previous events over the past years, he was just worried of what could happen to her, especially now when she was expecting.

"So, here we are," David announced, and broke the silence that had filled the sheriff wagon as he pulled the car up to the sidewalk just across.

"That's weird," Killian muttered as looked at their his, and Emma's victorian house. "Something's wrong?" David asked, and tried to see if he could spot whatever Killian had noticed. Killian didn't answer, instead he glanced back at the clock showing in the car, and looked back at the house. "The lights in our kitchen are not on," Killian explained still sitting in his seat. "Sure it's not because it's so bright outside now?" "Could be, but still," Killian trailed off slightly as he got out of the car, and began crossing the road.

David had originally planned to drop Killian off and go on patrol, but this was his daughter, and by the way Killian acted now worried him, and he turned off the engine of the car, got out, and jogged after the other man.

"Emma?!" Killian called out as he went inside to a completely silent and dark first floor. David went inside behind him, and glanced as well from the kitchen to the living room. No sign of anyone.

Killian raced up the stairs, and almost ran towards their bedroom and nearly flung the door open as he entered their room. Upon entering he noticed it was dark in here as well. Normal by this time, the curtains would have been pulled off to let the light shine in. Gazing towards the bed, he breathed out in somewhat relief when he saw the sleeping form of his wife lying underneath the covers.

Slowly he went to her, and sat down on the space beside her. Deep in sleep, Emma wasn't sensing anything, and kept lying still with her breathing steady. "Emma? Emma, wake up, please," he whispered and shook her shoulders gently. A groan came from his sleeping wife, "mmm...what?...Killian?" She muttered as her eyes opened and was met by only darkness for a moment before her eyes got used to it. "Yeah, it's me, is everything alright? Your still in bed," Killian commented, and lightly caressed her face.

Emma wasn't answering as the headache that had plagued her this morning after her usual sickness, and had made her go back to bed, came sneaking again and soon it was back with full force. She never suffered from migraines, but with this headache, she had a pretty good idea of how it must feel to have them.

Thinking that her groaning and slight whimpering was just Mrs. Emma Swan waking up, Killian stood up, and went over to pull the curtains off.

The sudden light in the room added more pain to Emma's head, and now Killian realized there was more to it than he thought when Emma almost fell back in bed with her hands covering her forehead, and now groaning even louder. "Emma? What's wrong?" He asked worried as he went back to her, sitting down beside her again. "The, the light," she almost whimpered back, and Killian quickly got it, and went back to close them off again.

"Killian! Is everything alright up there?" David's call made Killian suddenly realize that they weren't alone in the house. Even though the shouting came from downstairs, the volume for Emma seemed to be as if he was standing right next to her.

"I'll be right back, love," Killian told her, and went out to the hallway and towards the stairs, where he could see David standing at the bottom. "What's going on?" David asked as Killian went down the stairs towards him. "I think that headache she was plagued with yesterday is still there," Killian told David and looked up towards their bedroom. "Oh, I see, is it getting worse?" David asked slightly worried as he looked up the same way as Killian.

"I'm not sure, but I'm letting her be for now, I will go up and check on her occasionally," Killian told David scratching his neck. "Are you going to tell her?" David asked eying the man in front of him while crossing his arms. "As I said, I'm going to let her be for now. When she wakes up, and if she seems more healthy, I will inform her," Killian explained while David nodded along. "Okay, then, I'll go on patrol, and I'll drive by the address Violet gave you to see if that Mei-girl's parents are home. At least those teens haven't been on rampage ever since the robbery at Geppetto's. but you never know," he sighed, and patted Killian on the shoulder. "Sure you don't want some back-up, mate?" Killain asked as he followed David to the frontdoor. David stopped up as he held the doorknob.

Perhaps, Killian had a point. Who knows how involved the people of that small part of Storybrooke were, and no one knew, what they were up to with that book about coping magic. "If you're on it, I'll call Snow to be with Emma, she has her day off today, she'll be here in minutes" David told him, and fished his phone up. "Aye, I'll go up to tell her," Killian announced and went upstairs, leaving David by the front door as he called his wife.

"Emma, love?" Killian whispered as he opened the door to their bedroom. Once again he was met by darkness and complete silent, except for Emma's deep breathing, and once again, he went to her side, but this time, he just sat there, and watched her. She was sleeping so peacefully, and he didn't want to disturb her. Instead, he bent down, kissed her on her forehead, and gently brushed her covers off to caress her stomach. "Sleep well, both of you," he whispered, and covered her up again, before leaving the room quietly.

"Did you tell her?" David asked as Killian came back downstairs. "No, she's completely out of it, I couldn't get myself to wake her again," he explained. "Okay, Snow will be here in a few minutes," David told him, and without further ado, they both went outside and towards the sheriff's wagon.

A few moments later, inside their bedroom, Emma was still in deep sleep;

 _"The Valley of Peace some, including myself would say it is the most precious place on Earth. Right now you are standing by the Jade Palace, on Jade Mountain," a disembodied voice told her as Emma looked around and gazed mesmerized at the sight of the golden dragon carved in the red pillars supporting the roof of the great building in the same way she been for days now, but now, she was joined by this unknown voice. It sounded like an elder wise man, and she stopped up to look around to see if he was with her, but he wasn't. "But what am I doing here?" She asked out in space to see if the voice would answer her, but nothing came. Around her, a few people walked around, admiring the place, the same way they had since this dream began showing in her sleep. Emma knew what was coming. Soon the part the scared her the most would come, and quite right. The sky would go red. Not even a star would show above them, and now the people began walking towards her. "There she is! The Dragon Warrior! Help us, the Dragon Warrior, help us!" They pleaded as they went to her. Once again, Emma knew what was going to happen, or so she thought. Normally during this part, she would be handed a golden, but broken, mechanical bird, but this time, she was handed a brownish bird. It was alive, but barely, and the poor thing was trembling in her hand. "Help us, Dragon Warrior, help us, Dragon Warrior," they began to shout. Emma looked nervously around, and down on the bird. "I don't know what to do," her voice almost broke keeping her glance at the small creature in her hand. "Listen, Dragon Warrior," a voice whispered. It was the same voice as before. Listen? Listen for what? Emma was beyond confused, and the pressure from the people around her didn't help at all. "Stop, please," she whispered at them, but nothing helped. "Help us, Dragon Warrior, HELP US!" "STOP!"_

Emma shot up in bed as she shouted out, and began panting heavily with wide eyes looking around. She became somewhat relieved to see that she was in her own bed, in her bedroom, but she had to lean back and close her eyes for a bit. This was the first time the dream had woken her up like that. She would always wake when the mechanical bird was placed in her hand, and it would seem 'natural' for her to wake up, but this time it was with the shock effect as if it had been a nightmare. She looked up towards the ceiling. The dream itself had changed with the voice now, and a real living bird. What could all this mean?

"Emma! I heard you screaming, are you alright?!"

She was pulled out of her thoughts when her mother suddenly came into the room. Emma furrowed her eyebrows. What was her mother doing here? And where was Killian? How long had she been sleeping? What the hell was going on?!

The questions in her mind seemed to take any sense of reality from her. She didn't even sense her mother sitting by her. It was first when a firm hand grabbed her arm that Emma came back to. She blinked a couple of times before she eyed her mother who looked at her, deeply worried.

"Emma, Emma, sweetheart, what's going on with you? Honey, you're trembling," Snow gasped as she felt her daughter's body shake in her grasp. "I don't know, mom, I don't know," Emma's whispered, tears now streaming down her cheeks. The tiredness, and the headache that had plagued her to sleep what she would assume now would be all day was slowly returning though, and a small whimper escaped her lips. Couldn't all of this just stop?

Snow had never experienced Emma having this sort of panic attack like that. Knowing the stress was neither good for her or the baby, Snow did everything she could to calm her down. She pulled Emma into a tight, loving and motherly embrace and held her here while she kept whispering soothing words and rocked her back and forth while she sung the lullaby she always used for Neal;

 _"Come stop your crying_  
 _It will be alright_  
 _Just take my hand_  
 _And hold it tight_

 _I will protect you_  
 _From all around you_  
 _I will be here_  
 _Don't you cry_

 _For one so small,_  
 _You seem so strong_  
 _My arms will hold you,_  
 _Keep you safe and warm_  
 _This bond between us_  
 _Can't be broken_  
 _I will be here_  
 _Don't you cry_

 _'Cause you'll be in my heart_  
 _Yes, you'll be in my heart_  
 _From this day on_  
 _Now and forever more_  
 _You'll be in my heart_  
 _No matter what they say_  
 _You'll be here in my heart_  
 _Always"_

The singing made her and slowly calm down, and soon her breathing became normal. Snow could also feel Emma getting calmer, and while she wanted to know what had made her daughter so upset and scared, she also wanted Emma to calm down and even fall asleep again.

While Snow knew from her pregnancy with Neal that it was very limited for pain medication for pregnant women. Instead, another idea came to her mind. "Okay, honey, just lay down, I'll be right back," she whispered as she helped her daughter lying down. For Emma, this was going to be an all stay-in-bed day. Literally.

Quickly, Snow got up, and went downstairs and got a bunch of washcloths from one of the kitchen drawers. Finding a bowl, she filled it with water. Not too cold or too warm, just in between and when she got it right, she let the water fill the bowl before she turned it off and got upstairs with both bowl and cloths. Thank heavens for Zelena being able to take care of Neal now her other child was down for the moment.

Meanwhile, Emma laid back down on her bed trying to breathe deeply through the pain that filled her head. Another thing that would happen after she would have that weird dream was that the sound of a bird singing would fill her mind. She had yet to figure out whether it was actually a bird outside or in her mind, but the singing was so beautiful and so calming that Emma could feel the headache disappear a bit, and she slowly drifted back to sleep without that dream haunting her.

Silently the door to the bedroom creaked open, and Snow slowly peeked inside the room, and quickly sensed that Emma had fallen back into sleep. With bowl in one hand, and cloths held underneath her armpit, she slowly walked towards the bed. Only the small sound of creaking as Snow made her way, and she slowly squatted down when she reached her sleeping daughter. She sat the bowl down and wetted one of the cloths and squeezed the water out and gently laid on Emma's head. Emma only but gave a small relieved groan when the cloth hit her skin, but it didn't wake her up.

Snow smiled to herself when she could see that her small non-medical treatment helped, and for now, she just sat herself down on the wooden floor by the bed and silently watched her daughter sleeping peacefully.

 _"Always."_

* * *

Outside of Storybrooke, later, same day:

Ever since the people from the Land of Untold Stories had come to Storybrooke, many of them had spread out, and created what you would call small villages outside of the town.

One of them was what people in the town had been calling the Asian part, and while that could sound a bit discriminating there was some truth to it. At this part of the town, all of people with Asian background had gathered, and it certainly showed on the buildings. The small houses had a traditional Chinese and Japanese look to them, and it was very quiet. This was certainly not the part of Storybrooke that any of the Sheriff's would be called out to stop a party that had gone too wild.

"So, it must be one of these houses," David concluded as both him and Killian looked out of each side window while the sheriff's car slowly drove along the gravel road. Killian unfolded the paper which Violet had written down the address and looked at the house numbers, but yet none of them was matching. Hopefully the girl hadn't send them on a wild goose chase.

"There!" Killian suddenly spoke up as he spotted the match between note and number on the mailbox. Quickly, David pulled the car up to the street, and parked it before they both went out.

"Let's get this over with," Killian whispered to himself as they made their way to the frontdoor. While he wanted to help David here, he also wanted to be at home, taking care of his sick wife.

The house was a small, traditional Chinese village house on two levels. The walls outside were of white limestone. The roof was black and slightly curved upwards

"Okay, so it maybe be that the girl is not finished at school, but maybe her parents are home. If not, we will break in and search the home for any clues," David informed as they stood at the door. "Here we go," he spoke out as he hit the doorbell.

It didn't took long before they could hear voices on the other side of the door, and soon it opened up to reveal a Chinese woman who looked to be about the same age as Snow. "Hello there, can I help you?" she smiled friendly at them, and widened her eyes when she saw who was standing by her doorsteps. "Oh, the Sheriffs, why are you here?" She asked them becoming a bit worried of why they were here. Hopefully it wasn't because some of her family was hurt.

"Hello there, Mrs, does a Mei Ling live here with you?" David asked politely. The woman in front of them nodded, and her expression turned into clearly confusion. "Yes, yes, Mei is my eldest daughter, and I'm Jun Ling, why? Has something happened?" She asked them worried.

"No, Mrs. Ling, nothing has happened to your daughter, but we need to speak with you, can we come in?" David asked as politely as before, and Jun only nodded and opened the door more for them to enter her home.

The small entrance they stepped into had black tiles on the floor, and the entrance was connected to a small hallway that led further into the home. Jun led them into the small dining room. From what they could tell, at least five people lived here. Jun had disappeared into the kitchen and not before long she came into the room with coffee and cups.

"Okay, there you go," she smiled. She tried to hide her nervousness for them and wanted to take care of them as any other guests. "My apologies," she started out as she sat down. "My husband is at work, and both of my daughters are at school, and my father is upstairs unwell, so I haven't cleaned up," she told them nervously, and Killian just waved his hand at her. "Don't worry about that, we're not here to check on your ability to clean up," he told her, making her laugh a bit, but became serious when David cleared his throat.

"No, Killian is right about that, but we are here to talk about your daughter, Mei, as we have got some heavy clues about her being involved in a couple of robberies that has been happening, and the last one ended up in a attack against the third sheriff of this town," David trailed of, and eyed the woman for any hidden knowledge, but the woman in front of them was clearly shocked, and she only nodded for him to continue explaining. "One of Mei's friends, who happens to be close to our family had lost her pink scarf, and on the night of the first robbery at Mr. Gold's pawnshop it was found, so we also have reasons to believe that Mei have tried to set another person up," David finished off and waited for Jun to talk.

Jun was speechless. Never in the world would she have imagined her daughter doing something like that. On the other hand though, it definitely fitted with the fact that Mei had been gone on both nights the robberies had happened. Jun remembered having heard about the thefts during her grocery shopping at Leroy's, and had along with the rest of the townspeople wondered who had done it, but never would she have thought of her own family being a part of it.

Slowly she explained to them what she knew. The two men in front of her kept silent and only nodded, and David took up his notebook to list down her explanation. "I will of course talk with Mei when she comes back home from school, but I can't guarantee that she will be honest with me. She's a smart young girl," she told them honestly.

David, and Killian only nodded, and Killian cleared his throat; "have your daughter ever talked about magic or copying it? You see, at Mr. Gold's shop, a book about duplicating magic was stolen," Killian explained and waited for the woman to respond. Jun thought back. "As far as I can remember, she hasn't," Jun answered them honestly and both men nodded at her. Apparently the mother was as confused about the situation as they were, but at least it seemed like she was willing to cooperate with this situation.

"Well, I guess that there's not much more we can do for now. We will let you speak with your daughter for now, and we will both return to our duties. Please call this number if she tells you anything," David spoke up as he stood up and handed Jun a small piece of paper with David's personal phone number. He wouldn't risk in Jun calling the station and accidently get to the one sheriff who didn't had any knowledge of what was going on as of now.

Jun nodded and took the paper. She stood up as well and went out to the hallway to led her guests out, when a loud cough and footsteps could be heard from the stairs out in the hallway, she turned around and sighed a bit when she saw her father slowly making his way downstairs and towards them. Both David, and Killian looked at the same direction as she did and raised their eyebrows a little when a elder Chinese man came towards them. "Jun, my dear, you could have told me we had visitors," the man spoke, and made his way to greet them both. "This is my father, Wūguī Ling," Jun introduced, and smiled slightly when both men shook his hand politely. "Hello sir, we were just on our way out," Killian told the elder man, and Wūguī only nodded at them, "I see, I see," he smiled at them widely and took a few steps back.

Both David and Killian nodded at them and was about to leave, when Wūguī spoke up; "you are the Savior's family aren't you?"

That made both men stop up and turn slightly shocked towards the elder man. Jun could only look with question at her father, not knowing where he was going.

"Yes, yes we are, I'm her father, and Killian is her husband, what is it? How do you know her?" David demanded trying to sound as calm as possible. Why would that man suddenly ask about Emma in that way?

"She hears it, doesn't she?" He asked them, and didn't seem to take notice in the confused faces of all three people around him. "Hears what?" Killian asked also trying to sound none-threatening at the elder man, but what was he talking about? What would Emma hear?

"She hears it. The Savior. She hears it. Don't let her shot it out. It will guide her. It will heal," Wūguī continued.

Jun was all but confused. She had no idea what her father was talking about, and she could only smile nervously at the two men in front of her who clearly was affected by her father's words.

David, and Killian eyed each other worried. What was the man talking about?

Wūguī seemed like he was about to answer, but a sudden coughing hit the elder man, and he had to bent over. Jun helped her father by holding him and patting his back. She didn't know what to do. Her father was sick and had been for a while, and he would often get hit by these coughing attacks, they could become quite severe, and he needed to go back in bed and drink some warm tea to help him, but at the same time, it was clear that the two sheriffs wanted to know more about what he had just spoken about.

"I'm sorry, but my father needs rest," she told them, and hoped it would be enough for the two men to accept. She slowly started to help her father turn around and walk back towards the stairs. "It's alright, dear, they don't need to know more," Wūguī spoke in a hoarse voice, and before David, and Killian could react, the front door was closed in front of them.

"Hey!" Killian shouted and was about to knock on the door with his hook, when David grabbed his arm, "no, don't!" "But I need to know what that man was talking about!" Killian almost hissed back and tried to struggle against David. "I know, I know, I want to know too, but the man was clearly sick, and perhaps he wasn't speaking with a clear mind. Quite a lot of people in this town, including those out here knows about Emma's title, it could be nothing," David suggested and let go of Killian's arm when he could feel the man calming down.

"Aye, mate," he whispered and shook David's hand off and both of them went to the car and headed back to the station in silence.

Back inside the Ling's house, Jun helped her father upstairs, and slowly, they came to his room where she gently helped him lying down. "Father, what happened down there? I have never heard or seen you like that," Jun asked her father as he laid down.

Wūguī closed his eyes deeply before looking up towards the ceiling. "Jun, the Savior hears it, I saw her in my dream," he told her. Jun raised her eyes and suddenly it hit her. No way! Could it be?

"Do..do you mean that she? Really does she really?" Jun stumbled in her words, not being able to speak clearly. Hope suddenly washing through her.

"Yes, yes, dear, she does, and she's getting closer to understanding," and with that the elder man closed his eyes letting sleep come to him.

Jun stood up as her father drifted off, and went downstairs to prepare his tea. While making the tea, Jun could feel happy tears stinging in her eyes. If the Savior could hear it, then it meant that maybe her, her family, and her people in this town could get it back. Smiling widely she whispered the words she didn't think she would whisper again;

 _"Sing, little Nightingale, sing!"_


	12. End of Act 1: Revelations - Part 1:2

**End of Act 1: Revelations -** **Part 1:2**

 **Week 12: June:**

 **The body:** _Okay, Savior. During this week your uterus makes a move upward. This relieves some of the pressure on the bladder that has caused those frequent bathroom visits. When the second trimester starts next week, the bladder will be relatively safe from uterine pressure, but it will return when the third trimester starts as the uterus will grow larger than ever. However, you may begin to feel heartburn, also called acid indigestion. It's a burning sensation that often extends from the bottom of your breastbone to your lower throat. The discomfort of that may go from mildly annoying to intense and distracting. This will also be the week where you'll begin to show! And also, when entering the second trimester, the risk of complication, miscarriage is under 10%._

 **The baby:** _Your baby's face is looking more human as the eyes have moved to the front of the head, and the ears are in place. Your baby's intestines are all under way, but they aren't where you would expect them to be. Instead of all being locked away in the body cavity, som are dangling outside, in the umbilical cord. While the genitals are forming during the 12th week they aren't visible until the 16th week. Ultrasounds are actually not required for a healthy pregnancy, but many doctors order them, or perform them in the office to gauge fetal growth. From crown to rump, your baby is just over 2 inches long - about the size of a lime, and weighs half an ounce._

* * *

The Storybrooke forest, Monday:

If one just came from the Enchanted Forest, it would be impossible for one to tell the difference when one came into the deep, deep parts of the Storybrooke forest.

Though Storybrooke had existed for more than two decades, there was still parts of the area that hadn't been explored as much as others, and the forest was one of them.

Forest glades could be found here and there, and in one of them, a peaceful aura filled the air. The moss had spread across the ground like a blanket. The sun shining upon it made it look like it was glistening, and with the summer weather of June, white flowers bloomed beautifully. Birds were singing, two butterflies flew across the area, and sometimes, a squirrel or two would run across the tree branches.

It was at this particularly forest glade that a white-grey smoke suddenly appeared and as it disappeared, it revealed a quite upset Emma Swan. Upset might be the wrong word for it. Furious, angry, enraged, or frustrated might cover things better.

Emma took a moment to gather herself as a wave of dizziness hit her and almost made her stumble. As it took of, she stood up to look around her to see where her telepation had taken her. Not a place she had seen before, but it was quiet and actually beautiful, which was exactly what she needed right now. This was what she had wished for when poofing away from the station, away from main street, and away from _them._ A quiet place to collect her thoughts in all of this mess.

Sitting down on a fallen tree trunk, she buried her face in her hands, and finally let all of her emotions get to her. How could they? All of them. How could they? Killian had promised not to keep secrets like that from her. Her parents had known as well - all of her family had. No one had bothered to let her in on what was going on, and that had led to this. And to make it worse, she had been standing there, in the station with her entire group of family and friends ganging up on her, and now, here she was.

Brushing her hands through her face and hair, she sniffed and looked up in the air. Not since finding out about what her parents had done to Maleficent's child had she felt so angry at the people around her. Why had they all kept these things from her?

She sat, leaning forward with her arms on her knees and looked out with a empty gaze as her thoughts raced inside her mind. Emma wanted to scream out in anger, but kept her frustration in. Pregnancy hormones? Perhaps they had added to her anger. Feeling let down by her entire family? Certainly yes.

Closing her eyes while letting her head hanging slightly, she thought back on previous week.

* * *

Friday morning, last week.

The night before, Killian had returned home shortly to check up on her as she was sick with a strong headache, before he had returned to cover for the night. After having had both the day and the night off, Emma had woken up, and was feeling way better than she had the day before. Despite still dealing with nausea and sickness, she had gotten up, showered, and had dressed up.

Kilian was still at the station this time in the morning, and Emma had decided to give him a nice morning surprise. Grabbing her car keys and her bordeaux fabric jacket, she drove the way into Storybrooke Main Street.

It was a bright and warm June morning. The sky was clear, and the breeze was fresh, but not too cold. Climbing out of her yellow bug after parking it by the station, Emma stretched out her arms as she enjoyed being outside after a whole day of just sleeping. It wasn't much she remembered from yesterday despite her mother being there when she had woken up from that weird dream. Once again that dream had haunted her in her sleep, and still she couldn't figure out what it was all about.

Emma decided to shake off thinking of that dream, and went into surprise her husband and to get on the case as she knew that Rumple's deadline was up soon.

"Hello there, handsome," she greeted as she walked into the sheriff's office seeing her husband sitting half asleep by the desk. Her entry though seemed to the perfect alarm clock as Killian almost sprung up. "Love? What are you doing here?" He asked her as he went to her and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. "I'm here to take the shift, I feel much better now, and I owe you guys," she told him referencing to her father. "Aye, love, but we would have loved to cover for you. Sure you're up for a shift now?" He asked her clearly trying not to sound too worried. "Sure, no worries, besides, I definitely need to get more into our case. Rumple will be over my head soon," she explained to him as she took Killian's previous seat by the desk.

"Why the bloody hell would the crocodile be over you?" Killian asked crossing his arm, and that's when Emma realized that she hadn't filled neither Killian or her father in on the 'deal' she had made with the pawnshop owner a few weeks ago. "Oh, it was just good old Rumple warning me that he would take matter into his own hands if the case wasn't solved in three weeks, and that deadline would be on Monday, soo," Emma explained shrugging with her shoulder as if it wasn't that big of a deal. While going through some papers by the desk, she didn't noticed the way Killian's mouth hung in shock, and closed again quickly as he ran his hand across his mouth, clearly thinking deep.

"And you agreed on that?" Killian asked finally running his hand through his hair. "Yeah, I did, but come on! If the guy really wants to redeem himself he should learn to relax a bit," Emma bursted out but tried to calm herself down afterwards. "Anyway, I actually want to get this solved as well. Has there been anything new?" She asked her husband as she finally looked up at him.

Killian seemed to be caught deep in thought of what to answer her, but looked at her when cast her glance at him and shook his head. "No, love, there hasn't been anything yet, but I'm sure we will find something soon."

Emma had always could tell when people either lied, or hid something from her, and Killian was no difference now, but as she was about to ask him further, he seemed to become suddenly busy, and told her that he would head home to catch some sleep, and hang out with Robin afterwards, and the man was out of the building in a second, leaving a quite confused, and suspicious Emma behind.

The day went on quite uneventful, Emma had spent most of the time by looking at the clues about the robberies they had gotten so far. They had long gone searched Geppetto's workshop and found that nothing was stolen, but at the same time, they hadn't been able to figure out what they had been after, but the robbery had been in the same way as with the robbery of Mr. Gold's shop, and the connection was found even more by the description of the robbers. Apparently a bunch of teenagers.

Leaning back in her chair, Emma groaned out in frustration and stared up in the ceiling supporting her head with her hands. If the circumstances had been different by not having those kids stealing a book about duplicating magic, Emma might have taken all this slightly easier, but with her having a baby now, and with all the other weird things going on like the dreams that had been haunting her, she just wanted this to be fixed at least.

Standing up, she looked at the clock on her phone: 12:14. A message popped up on the screen as well, from her mother, asking if they should eat lunch together at Granny's. Emma shrugged her shoulders at the message. They might as well. It wasn't like she was getting anywhere here, so she quickly answered with a "would love to," and smiled as she added two emojis along with the message.

As she went outside she decided to put a quick protection spell on the door. Just in case as the station would be empty now. Closing her eyes, she felt her magic through her veins and soon the spell was on the door. A weird dizziness hit her, and she had to slightly lean on the door handle to keep her up, and sighed deeply. Lately, when using her magic, she would feel either dizzy, lightheaded or out of breath. Even with small spells like the one she had just performed. Shaking it off as she got her senses back, she stood up and went her way towards the diner.

"Hey! Emma! Over here!" As she entered the diner, she was almost immediately met by her mother's call, and she smiled by the sight of her in the middle booth with Neal in her arms.

Quickly she made her way and greeted her mother with a tight hug, and nuzzled Neal on the cheek. "Hey mom, and hey you," she greeted them both and sat down on her side.

Lunch went on quietly with some light chatting. Snow had only slightly commented on Emma being back at work after yesterday, but had dropped the subject when Emma kept on convincing her mother that she was feeling fine. It was when she brought up the case that Snow suddenly seemed unusually quiet.

Once again, Emma got the feeling that there was something she was left out on, and just like with Killian, her mother decided that since their food was eaten and glasses empty that lunch was over. After all, almost two hours had passed by, and once again, Emma had been left behind even more confused than before as her mother had acted exactly like Killian. Was this some kind of a bad prank they were pulling on her?

After sitting alone in the booth for a moment, Emma shook her head and got up. She almost ran out of the diner in hopes of catching her mother to ask further into her weird acting but as she went outside there was no sight of her.

Her father was on the night shift, and as she went home, she almost collapsed onto the couch. She was still hit with exhaustion and she nearly fell asleep right there and then when it hit her that she wasn't met by any sort of 'welcome home, love' of any kind. Slowly standing up, she began searching the house, and found that it was completely empty for people, except herself.

Where was he?

A very uncomfortable flashback went through her mind as she recalled the time earlier this year when she thought that Killian had left her when she had given back the engagement ring.

She took a deep breath. He had told her that he would never leave her, and she just had to believe in him, and in that this would just be another case of her having to reassure him that whatever he was afraid to tell her, he could without fearing anything.

After a third attempt to call him on his phone without any answer, Emma decided to give up. After having reheated some leftovers from the day before, she sat down in front of the television and began eating. While her appetite wasn't at the highest, she knew that both her and baby needed the nutrients. Deep in thought, she didn't really follow the news that was being told by CNN this evening. She knew that she herself hadn't been honest about things going on with her either. Maybe this would be a never ending character flaw for them both.

 _"And it was here, a few miles from the cafeteria that the 7 year old Samantha Marie Johnson died in a tragic car accident five weeks ago. The death of this young girl has once again raised the question of the safeness of our highways. Is it something the government should be taking care of or is it the individual states that should take action? We will discuss this subject further, back to the studio"_

The reporter's intro made Emma stop thinking and actually watch the television. There was no doubt. The recognition of the road made her mind wander back to that day. The day when she had met the now new owners of her apartment in Boston, and had found out about the newcomer to the family. Emotionally it had been a rollercoaster ride as she also recalled the shock about the death of the young girl who was now mentioned in the television. While thinking back, Emma slowly ran her hand across her stomach. The area was still flat, and as she leaned further back into the soft fabric of the couch, she closed her eyes, and soon the exhaustion caught up with her, and she fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Saturday, next morning, last week:

 _"Help us, Dragon Warrior! Make it sing!" "Stop it! I don't know how!" "Let it guide you, Dragon Warrior! Listen and follow!"_

Slowly opening her eyes, Emma yawned, and groaned as the dream once again had haunted her. As she sat up in her bed, and wait! What? Looking around she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Last thing she remembered was her falling asleep on the couch.

Her answer came from the sounds from inside the bathroom and as the door opened her way too handsome husband stood in the doorway. "Morning, love," he smiled at her as he went into their bedroom. "Morning," she answered back a bit groggy and sat up, "so, I found my wife sleeping on the couch when I got home," he began as he sat down beside her, "and who would call himself a true husband if he didn't made sure that his expecting wife was sleeping like a princess," he winked and kissed her on the lips. "You carried me? What about your foot?" Emma asked concerned. "Dr. Whale might not be too impressed, but these are the sacrifices a captain must make, so how's the two of you this morning?" He asked rubbing her stomach. "Fine, at least it seems like the sickness has gone for now," Emma smiled back, and leaned back to let her husband caress her, but sat up afterwards, having to mention the elephant in the room.

"Where were you yesterday?" She asked trying not to sound too mad. "I came home with no message of any kind. Listen, whatever you're hiding, it's -", she was interrupted, "don't worry, love I was with Robin last night, and actually, we've planned to take the weekend on the Jolly Roger on a boy's trip with the lad," he told her and stood up. Emma immediately forgot what she was about to say by the sudden news. Shaking her head and blinking a few times, she managed to get an, "okay," out.

It was not like she didn't owe him to have fun with Robin and Henry, but it all seemed so sudden as if he wanted to get away from something or someone. Deciding to take things easy and jump onto conclusions, Emma smiled at him to reassure that she wasn't mad at him. "So, when are you going?" She asked him, Killian smiled back at her, and cleared his throat, "well, we're planning on leaving here before lunch. After we have made sure that we have all the proviant we need from Leroy's we're on our way to the edge of the world," Killian proclaimed and threw his arm out overdramatically which Emma could only laugh along with, and swung her covers off and stood up.

Even though she wanted to confront him with what he was hiding, she decided to leave it be, and let the boys have a fun time. "Well then, I can see that you're in hurry then," she commented as she glanced at the clock on her bedside table which read 10:09. "Aye, love, and I'm on my way, but I wanted to make sure you were up and alright for me to leave," he responded, and clicked on his hook.

As he began packing, Emma went into the bathroom and closed the door. Leaning on the sink, Emma looked at herself in the mirror, and sighed deeply. It was not like she was any better. She hadn't told him anything about the dreams, which she knew she should as there was no doubt that these dreams was a sign. Of what, she didn't know, but they had happen way too often for them not to be important.

Quickly Emma took a short morning bath and got dressed. She considered for a moment to let her father call one of the dwarfs to take the shifts, but hated the thought as much, especially with the robberies still being unsolved.

Downstairs, Killian had already packed two middle sized bags, and was about to head out. "Don't you want a lift?" Emma asked watching as he held one bag in his hand and the other hanging from his hook. "Sure, love, but what about breakfast for the two of you?" He asked nodding at her stomach. Smiling at his slight worry for her and their upcoming baby, she went to him, and wrapped one arm around him. "We'll look at what Granny's can offer," she told him and together, they walked outside with Emma taking the one bag from him to carry. It wasn't at all heavy for her, and not before long they stood outside by the yellow bug.

"Wanna go by car or magic?" She teased him, and set the bag down. She knew that he loved the thrill when they poofed to different areas, and his eyes lit up like a young boy's would, and she knew the answer. With one flick of the hand, they were surrounded by her signature grey-white smoke and in a blink of an eye, the smoke cleared and they were at Leroy's grocery shop.

"I can't believe I agreed to this!" The voice of Regina was the first they met as they arrived by the shop, and Emma appreciated that as it took Killian's attention for a moment in the same time she was hit by this weird light headedness. The world was blurry for a second, and as Killian greeted Regina, Robin, and Henry, their talking seemed unclear as if she was underwater.

"What do you say for yourself, Mrs. Swan?! Emma? Emma?!" "Love? Hey, you're in there?" The voices of both Regina, and Killian shook her out of her small trance, and she shook her head and blinked a few times before her world was clear again and her hearing worked. "I'm sorry, what?" She asked shifting her gaze between them. "I was asking for you to explain you agreeing with this" Regina told her pointing at Killian, Robin, and Henry, clearly referring to the overnight trip. "Mom, are you okay?" Henry asked his biological mother slightly worried and for a second they all gave her worried glances. "Yes, yes, I'm fine, sorry about that, kid," Emma reassured them, and turned to Regina, "it's one night, and it's on a weekend's night, I can't see the problem," Emma shrugged off, and gazed at the boys, not noticing Regina crossing her arms with her mouth hanging open in disbelief.

"You got to be kidding me, Mrs Swan, don't you remember what happened last time?! You were with them!" Regina almost yelled out, and Emma had to ignore both pregnancy hormones and hunger in order to stay as civil as she could. "Regina, come on. Nothing happened, we were secured, and I know Killian wouldn't have done it if it was too dangerous," Emma defended sternly and eyed Regina clearly telling her to back off. "So, who's going to be on the top of the top yard this time?" Emma asked Killian to provoke Regina a bit, and Killian caught on instantly, "I don't know yet, love, maybe Henry should try without the securing ropes?" He suggested rubbing his chin with his fingers. "You do such a thing, and I will have both of you ki-", "mom! Stop it," came the annoying groan from Henry. Emma had to bit her lip in for her not to laugh out. Henry in teenager mode was certainly not patient, and it was not helping at all by Regina's overprotectiveness.

"Aye, lad," Killian nodded towards him, and turned to Regina, "listen, Your Majesty, I will make sure that all crew will return safely on land, Sunday afternoon, all right?" Regina rolled her eyes, and just nodded with her arms crossed. "Guys, Violet has asked to come along, will that be okay?" Henry asked and held his iphone up. "It's okay with me, the lass can come along, what do you say, Robin?" Killian asked turning to Robin who just shrugged, "I don't have a problem with it, she probably need a trip like that with everything that's been going on."

Killian, Regina, Henry, and Robin himself all tensed for a moment by Robin's words which didn't went unnoticed by Emma. "What has been going on?" She asked them confused, and as if some had decided to run a repeat of the scenes from yesterday, but with a light change of 'actors', they all suddenly got busy. Regina suggested to get Violet for them, and disappeared in her purple cloud of smoke, and Killian, Robin, and Henry quickly mentioned something about getting the groceries. Killian gave her quick kiss on the cheek before they almost ran into the store, leaving a now very confused, and frustrated Emma behind.

What the hell just happened? She couldn't believe it!

It was not only Killian, and her mother then. It was, apparently everyone in this town knowing something she didn't. Emma had to gather herself to not blow the door into the store open and storm in to get the information out of them all. What were they hiding from her?

She considered going after Regina instead, but her stomach began rumbling in need of food, and Emma took a deep breathe and decided to get some breakfast. "Okay, someone in there is hungry, I get it" she groaned, and decided to let secrets be secrets for now, and went towards the diner. The boys, and Violet might have escaped, but the rest staying behind was going to get questioned.

* * *

Saturday night, last week:

Emma had to give it to her family; if they all had decided to hold information from her, and not let it slip to her no matter what, they were certainly going to keep it.

All day she tried to confront her parents, and Regina about what they were hiding from her.

She had tried when her father had come in to take over the afternoon, and night shift, and had quickly taken off. Primarily, he had almost said next to nothing when he came into the station. He also managed to head out, and off in the station wagon and not giving any information about where to.

Her mother had arranged wedding preparations with Regina, and when Emma tried to get anything out of them, they quickly changed to subject to what flowers there should be arranged, or what color the bridesmaids dresses should be.

It had been late night when Emma slowly walked down stall hall of the horse barn owned by her parents.

She had decided to stay with her mother now both Killian, and David were gone for the night, and had decided to go out, and check on the horses before going to bed.

Her mother's horse, Gunpowder stood with his head hanging out from his stall, watching her. His ears had pricked forward as she had went to him and stroke his head, and muzzle, whispering to him, but it was then that all of her frustration from the past weeks had caught up with her, and she had hugged the horse's neck, and sobbed honestly into his mane. "Why wouldn't they tell me, and what's happening to me? I don't understand what's going on!" She had sobbed, referring to her dreams. I

"Thank you," she whispered to the animal, and looked into his deep brown eye. It was clear that this horse belonged to her mother. Just like her he stood completely still as if he knew she needed to get her emotions out, but now it seemed like she couldn't even count on her own mother supporting her, and Emma closed her eyes, and leaned her head on the horse's neck and let a lonely tear stream down her cheek.

Standing there like that for a few minutes, Emma just listened as the sounds of horses eating, and crickets outside filled the air. It calmed her a little bit, and as she felt herself relaxing more, she stood up, and dried her face. She kissed Gunpowder's muzzle, and turned around to close off the barn, and head inside the farmhouse.

* * *

The Storybrooke forest, present day:

Emma opened her eyes from her flashback, leaned back slightly on her hands, and looked up in the sky. The sky was clear from what she could see. The forest glade made the sky framed by the tall pine trees, and one or two birds would fly across here, and there.

The birds brought her back to the dream she had been haunted by for weeks now, and Saturday night had not been any different;

That night, she had once again been dreaming about that Chinese palace, and about the people, and the bird. She remembered that the bird in the beginning had been mechanical and was made of beautiful gold and diamonds, but in her latest dreams, the bird was alive, but grey, and boring in comparison. Another change had been the voice. The voice of an elder man would whisper to her now, but it was still unclear of what she was supposed to do, and the dream would never go farther than her having the bird handed to her, and the people gathering around her, telling her to help them.

Emma tried to take a deep breath and relax, both for her own and her baby's sake. She knew that stress was dangerous when being pregnant, but at the moment she just felt so overwhelmed, and wherever her magic had brought her, she thanked it deeply as she had just wished to go to a place where she could be alone, and collect her thoughts after everything that had happened lately.

Opening her eyes again, Emma sat up again, and felt present tears gathering in her eyes. Because now came the most horrible memory that had happened this weekend;

* * *

Sunday night, last weekend:

Emma had decided to be on the night shift for that night. Both because of David having taken the night before, and for Killian arriving home earlier today.

Her father had oddly tried to insist more of him staying tonight. Normally he would be more than happy to let her or Killian have the night shift the night after he had done it, but it was clear that he wasn't at all happy about Emma taking it alone that night, and had acted more, and more desperate in atem to take it.

She was not a fool. Emma knew that whatever the reason for her father so desperately wanting to take the shift that night was connected to that secret she was forbidden to know anything about. More the reason to challenge her father in this. Seemed as this was one of the times where the Charming stubbornness was clashing.

Finally they decided to share the shift, and being on patrol, everything had went along fine, until they were passing Mr. Gold's shop;

The silence in the car was uncomfortable, and Emma was about to try again to get her father to spill the beans when she spotted a dark figure by the shop. "Dad, stop the car!" She had yelled at him, and she growled in frustration when it was clear that either her father hadn't heard her, or he had decided to ignore her as he let the car drive along on the road.

"Dad!" She had yelled at him, but he had kept his gaze ahead. Emma decided that this was it. Whatever that was going on, she would find out with, or without his help, and before David could react, Emma had left herself being engulfed in a cloud of grey-white smoke, and appeared right across the street from Mr. Gold's shop, watching the figure who was still there.

From the look of the figure, Emma could slightly make out the shape of a younger person. Teenager to be more exact, and Emma had no doubt about who that was. It was one of the robbers from the other night, and this time they would not success.

"HEY!" She yelled at the figure, and ran towards the figure, taking her gun out of her pocket pointing it towards the teenager. If the weapon wasn't enough, magic would be the answer had she decided, and took the last steps confidently towards the person who was clearly frozen in the spot. Emma kept her guard and looked around quickly. Either they had planned an ambush or this person was alone, and had been caught.

"Whatever you are doing, stop right now!" She yelled as she was now an arms length away from the person and pointed the gun straight at him or her. The person was holding something in his or her hands, and Emma pointed towards it. "Lay that down, and put your hands in the air!" She ordered, and the person did as told with shaking movements.

Emma slowly circled the teen, "take that hood off, let me see your face," she ordered again, and pointed the gun at the person as shaking hands removed the black fabric, and revealed the face of what Emma could make out as a teenage, Asian looking girl, about the same age as Henry. "Who are you?" She asked the girl coldly, and waited as the girl looked nervously at her.

"M..my name i..is..Mei," the girl answered clearly frightened. "What were you doing here? How many are you?" Emma asked not taking any notice of the girl's appearance. Being frighten was the oldest trick in the world to get some sympathy and letting your guard down.

"ANSWER ME!" Emma roared at Mei, making the girl tense even further.

"What in the world is going on down there?" The familiar voice of Rumple from above caught Emma's attention from a second as the man had opened his window, and stared down at the scene in front of his shop.

The distraction made the girl take her chance, and she swiftly stood up and ran. "HEY! STOP!" Emma roared at the girl, and decided to ignore Rumple.

Still having fresh in memory of what happened last time she hunted down a teen like her, Emma decided to stand back, but instead reaching out with her hand letting her magic rush through her veins and captured the girl by her leg in an invisible string.

Mei fell onto the concrete and cried out. She tried desperately to get up, but it was no use. Emma held out her arm and shook her head to ignore the feeling of her pulse racing up.

Steadily she went to the fallen girl, and did not notice the sheriff's wagon parking on the other side of the road, or her father who almost jumped out of the car, running towards her. "Emma! Emma, stop!"

The feeling of rage pumped in her veins. She recalled being hit with same anger when she had slammed Gideon into the wall in her own home months ago.

As she stood by the girl who now looked at her with frighten wide eyes, Emma's vision was almost clouded, her pulse pumped inside, and she could feel it in her ears, as she raised her arm in the air, charging for an attack. The girl tugged herself into a ball, and ducked her head as Emma's eyes went wide having charged up with a ball of light magic.

"Emma! Stop!"


	13. End of Act 1: Revelations - Part 2:2

**End of Act 1: Revelations -** **Part 2:2**

"Emma! Stop!"

A strong hand suddenly gripped her arm firmly.

The magic disappeared instantly, and Emma shook her head as her what had felt like a trance left her immediately. Her gaze shut to the person holding her hand. "Dad?" She whispered shocked, and looked down at the girl on the ground, still curled up with her arms over her head.

David gazed the same way, and let go of Emma and bent down to the girl. "Hey, Mei, it's me David, it's okay," he whispered, and ignored the way Emma was looking at him. Now it was her turn to look shocked.

"Y..you know her?" She gasped letting her mouth hang open in shock.

Still ignoring her, David helped the girl standing up and brushed the girl's jacket off. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" He asked the girl who only nodded,and then stared frightened up at Emma. David followed her gaze, and for a moment it seemed like he forgot who was the daughter and who from Emma's perspective was the criminal.

"Emma what the h..You nearly...I told you to stop!" He shouted angrily, and shocked at her while he stood with the girl.

Once again Emma began feeling the weird feeling of dizziness and it was like she couldn't hear her father as the adrenaline that had earlier pumped through her faded away, and Emma suddenly found herself standing, panting heavily. She had to grasp the nearby lamppost for support. With wide eyes and with one hand at her chest it was if she suddenly realized what she had been close to doing. Hurting a child. Perhaps more like a teenager, but still, at teenager who could have been Henry.

Emma felt her knees going numb, and she was about to fall when suddenly a pair of hands grabbed her arms, Emma? Hey, hey! Emma!" David called using his grip on her to lift her up, and held her as she stood with wobbling legs. "Emma, honey, what's going on? Can you hear me?"

She had to shake her head, and she was still panting heavily. It took a moment before she could sense more of what was happening around her, but slowly the image of her father in front of her became clearer. As two pairs of hands cradled her face, Emma's vision cleared out fully, and she looked directly into her father's worried eyes. "Emma, what happened? I've never seen you like that," he whispered at her as if to make her know that he wasn't angry, at least not anymore.

"Sweetheart, speak to me, please," David asked, still holding her head. "I..I," she began but couldn't find her voice, instead she felt as if she broke right there and then, and she shook of David's hands, and buried her face in her own hands. Immediately, David embraced his daughter, and ran one hand up and down her back while whispering soothing to her.

As she felt herself calming down some more, Emma broke the embrace, "you're alright?" David asked her with hands on her shoulders. Nodding, Emma turned her attention towards the girl who had watched the scene in front of her take place, and was clearly unsure of what to do.

"Okay, Emma can I get you to stay here for a moment, I will just help Mei here with something, and we'll head to the station afterwards, okay?" Emma only nodded and watched as David went to the girl, and placed his hand on her shoulder, and he said something to her, which she couldn't make out. Both of them turned away from her, and went their way back to Mr. Gold's shop.

By the time they had reached the front door, Rumple had appeared along with Belle, both dressed in robes. Emma watched along from her spot as the girl picked up the packed item that she had made her drop and gave it to Rumple who first looked questioningly at her, but as he opened the package, a reckoning expression was shown in his face and as the girl spoke, he only nodded at her, and after a handshake between all four, Rumple and Belle went back inside, and David and the girl walked back towards her.

"Come on, let's get back, and we will explain everything," David told her, and Emma only nodded, and all three of them went to the car in silence and drove the short way back to the station.

The clock was reading 00:43am when they arrived at the station, and while Emma felt too tired both physically, and emotionally to actually sit down, and listen through all of this, but at the same time, she really longed to understand what was going on.

Sitting down on the couch, Emma glanced at the girl, and then it hit her. Mei, the girl who Henry had talked about. The girl who had been able to help Violet through tough times when it came to math. What in the world would make her commit crimes?

"Okay, Emma, first of all, I want you to know that I'm the one who asked everyone to keep this from you. Neither Killian, your mother, or anyone else is to blame but me, ok?" David started out, and paused to allow Emma to nod in response.

"This is Mei Ling," he introduced, and laid a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder. "Would you like to explain yourself, or do you want me to do it?" He asked her, and Mei seemed to consider it for a bit, before she crossed her arms. "I can do it, yes," she spoke quietly, and cleared her throat a few times before removing herself quietly from David's hand, and went to sit down beside Emma.

"As I understand you are Henry's mother, right?" She started out, knowing the answer, but wanting to break the ice smoothly. Emma only nodded once again, and gestured for the girl to continue.

"Okay, I..It started...I'm sorry, I..I don't know how to start exactly," the young girl stuttered, and stood up still with her arms folded around her.

David crossed his arms as well and sighed, glancing at Emma who was look questionly, and slightly annoyed at Mei who paced the floor, he cleared his throat; "alright, what do you say that we're talking about this tomorrow? It's late, and I will gladly drive you home, Mei," he told her, and Mei bit her lip, clearly unsure in what to answer.

Emma decided to take over, and nodded, "tomorrow it is then," she commented, and David, and Mei left the building shortly afterwards, leaving Emma behind all alone and with her thoughts. The silence that felt the room as she just sat there on the couch, not moving an inch. The events of this evening haunted her mind. Had her mind and magic really gone as berserk as to almost kill a defenseless person? Mei was certainly not capable of doing anything magical.

Slowly she lay down on the couch, and was soon in deep sleep.

* * *

Storybrooke Forest, Monday, present day:

She couldn't tell how long she had been out here. Checking that she had her phone with her, or bringing a watch wasn't exactly the first thing on her mind when she left the station in a cloud of smoke. An hour, maybe two, perhaps? Actually, she really didn't care.

Looking around her she studied the area more. It was indeed beautiful out here, and she smirked at herself for finding this place just by wishing to get away. It was completely silent out here, except for the sounds of the forest. The trunk she was sitting on was soft by the moss that had covered it, and completely dry from being shone upon by the sun all day.

Standing up, Emma decided to go for a small walk, even if she got lost, she could always transform herself back. Walking along the small pathway the forest had created along side with its wildlife, Emma made her way deeper into the forest. The walk seemed to relax her more, and she couldn't dive too much into her thoughts as she had to be on guard for roots and stones sticking up from the ground.

This particularly part of the forest was indeed hilly. Up and down it went, and Emma was quite glad that she was well trained or else, she would have been out of breathe by now.

A breeze came through, and despite it being June, it was quite cold. By looking up, Emma got her answer. Almost black clouds had gathered above, and it was clear that a rainstorm was coming.

As she stopped up by the bottom of two hills, she looked around, and raised her eyebrows when she spotted a natural cave, created by the roots of a fallen tree. The roots had been lifted up enough to create the covered area, and the entrance was slightly covered by ivy leafs. Feeling the first raindrops hitting her head, Emma hurried over to the place, and looked inside. The cave was certainly deep, and big enough for her to crawl in, and so she did.

The rain was now falling like crazy, and Emma was quite relieved that she had found this place as she would have been soaked to the skin, if she had stayed at the area before.

Looking outside at the rain, her thoughts once again began going back, back to earlier this day. Back to the very reason she was out here now.

* * *

The Charming's farm, Monday morning, earlier:

Once again, Emma had woken up in a different place than what she remembered falling asleep in. This time being in her room at her parent's home. She didn't have any sense of time as there was no watch or clock in the room.

A knock on the door made her sit up, "come in," she groaned loud enough. The door opened slowly, and her mother's head peeked inside. "Hey there, sleepyhead," her mother greeted her as she went into the room, and sat down on the bed as Emma sat up, "David brought you home last night. You had fallen asleep in the station and was completely out when he came in with you. He...he told me what happened last night". "Did he tell you everything?" "Everything," her mother confirmed.

Thinking back of yesterday's events made her head pound slightly and Emma had to hold her forehead for a moment, and she kept silent and watched as her mother bit her lip. It was as if she wanted to say something but couldn't get it out, instead, she reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind Emma's ear.

Emma stayed silent and allowed the touch, and smiled slightly as she dug her hand underneath her black tank top, and touched her stomach, just as she did the night before. This time though, she let out a small gasp. The sound made her mother look at her worried, "Emma? Something's wrong?" She asked her grabbing more firmly at Emma's arm, but she only retrieved at slight smile, and was quite surprised when Emma reached out with her free arm, and guided Snow's hand to the area as well. Emma's guided her mother's hand to the same place, and Snow's eyes lit up as she felt it as well. The beginning of the baby bump.

"Oh, my!" Snow gasped out, and smiled brightly at her daughter, "there you are," she spoke softly, and rubbed the area a bit before withdrawing her hand again. Both mother, and daughter smiled at each other.

"Breakfast is ready, and your father will be home soon," Snow told her and squeezed her knee before standing up and walked out of the room, smiling at her daughter when she turned around and closed the door behind her.

Emma was now left alone in the room, and allowed herself to stretch her arms in the air, yawning loudly before she let herself fall back to bed again, staring up at the ceiling.

"It's a crazy world you're going to enter," she spoke out loud as she dug her hand underneath her black tank-top again, and caressed her skin. She let her hand go up and down slowly, and the movement seemed to soothe herself to a point where she was almost falling asleep again. Forcing herself out of the bed, Emma grabbed today's clothes, and a large towel, before heading out of the room and into the bathroom on the second floor for a long morning shower.

As she undressed herself, she looked into the large mirror, and breathed in, and yes, there it was, when breathing normal it wouldn't be noticeable for the common viewer, but as she helt her breath, she almost felt a lump in throat when she could make out the small bump. Damn hormones.

* * *

Storybrooke Forest,

The rain was now even heavier, and with a flash, the area lit up for a second before the loud sound of thunder was heard.

Still the cave in which Emma was in was dry and actually quite comfy. It was large enough for her to sit with stretched legs and back against the dirt wall, but the temperature was low, actually quite cold, and it certainly wasn't helping that she was wearing nothing but her short sleeved white t-shirt and tight jeans.

Rubbing her hands up and down her arms, she tried to keep herself warm, and it helped, the warmth began filling her body, and Emma felt herself relax a bit more. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and felt as her magic ran through her veins. A white rim of light surrounded her, and she breathed out in enjoyment of the warming feeling. It was like sitting in a hot bathtub.

But then she felt it; the light headedness, and her pulse racing up like she had been running high-speed for miles. Stopping her magic abruptly, she let her arms fall to her sides, and grabbed onto the dirt as she tried to catch her breathe.

It felt like it took quite a while before she could feel herself being relaxed enough to breathe normally and to regain her thoughts again. What was happening? She was more in control with her magic now, so why would she feel like all of her energy leaving her when using it?

Trying to think of something else, Emma looked once again towards the entrance. The weather was not getting any better, and it was almost past afternoon. Emma feared for a moment that she would be forced to stay in here overnight. Her escape from the station had been so desperate that she hadn't brought her cell phone, walkie-talkie or any other kind of method to let her family know where she was. Of course, they could just use a locator spell to find her, but still she felt slightly guilty for not having anything that could let them on that she was fine, but just needed time alone.

 _"I'm sorry, I need to get away from here."_

 _"Love, please, wait,"_

 _"Mom! Please, don't!"_

The voices of their pleads rang through her head. Loudly. She buried her face in her hands to get them out. That's when she heard it. The bird singing. So beautiful, so calming. Raising her head from her hands, she closed her eyes, and just listened. Still she couldn't figure out whether this was real or in her mind. It would always lull her back to sleep whenever she woke up by that horrible dream that had haunted her for weeks.

Whether it was real or not, it kept her eyes closed and her mind slowly drifted from reality. Not sleeping, but simply just deep in thought.

* * *

The station, earlier:

Emma widened her eyes slightly as her, and her parents entered the station. It was as if all the citizens of Storybrooke had decided to walk into the station and either sat around, stood unsurely on their feet, or paced the floor.

Killian, Henry, Violet, Regina, Robin, Hank, Mei and two people she couldn't recognize, but quickly made out was Mei's parents.

"Love! Your father called me yesterday, he told me what happened. Are you feeling alright?" Killian asked as he went up to her immediately, and embraced her. There were few people beside her parents, and Henry of course, who could give hugs like Killian could. The warmth, the safetiness, and the love spread through her body by the touch.

But it was clear that huge elephant, if not mammoth was in the room.

"Okay, what's going on?" She asked immediately as she pulled out of the Killian's arms, and crossed her arms, looking at them all.

David took a deep breathe, stepped forward, and asked her to sit down on the couch just like yesterday, this time with Killian sitting down beside her, and also, it seemed like it would be her father filling her in today, and not Mei.

"Sweetheart, what happened yesterday was not only terrifying for yourself, but also me, and Mei over there, and it's mostly my fault," David admitted, and turned towards Mei, and gestured for her to come to him.

"Mei here lives outside of town with her family over there, and her grandfather who couldn't be here today," he introduced, and squeezed the young girl's shoulder as he spoke.

"She goes in the same math class as Henry, and Violet, and has turned out to be a great friend, and mentor for Violet," David continued and nodded towards Henry, and Violet who both send acknowledging nods towards Mei.

Emma gazed shortly between the interaction and on to her father again, and nodded. She recognized that from what Henry had told her some time ago, and could easily tell that Mei was the new girl he had talked about, and who helped Violet.

Clearing his throat, David looked down at Mei, "do you want to tell it yourself or do you want me to do it?" He asked the girl, and she seemed to be thinking for a moment, before she smiled at him, nodded, and lightly shook herself out of David's grasp.

"Mrs. Emma," she began, "Emma, just call me 'Emma'," Emma corrected her shortly, hating that title when used by Henry's friends. "Emma, excuse me," Mei apologized, and cleared her throat just like David did before continuing.

"I..I...No, sorry," she stuttered as she did yesterday, but this time she shook her head and looked at Emma with determination that made Emma sit up a bit unsure.

"Me and my friends have been behind the robberies in Mr. Gold's shop, and at Geppetto's," she admitted without a hint of hesitation.

Even though there were twelve people in the room, the silence was deafening.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Emma let out an "okay," before she sat up, and frowned at the girl before her.

"It all started two weeks ago, Violet over there came to me while I was on shift," he admitted, and nodded towards Violet, who nodded back at him. "She brought the scarf that we missed while I was at the hospital, and filled me in about Mei, and how it all was connected," he told her, watching her as she got the info.

"It's true. Mei, and I have known each other since you started in the same math class as Henry, and I, and especially since we started the group," Violet began as she stepped forward, ignoring slight surprised gazes she got from everyone, especially from Henry, and her father, Hank. Apparently no one had thought the otherwise shy girl would speak up.

Emma kept her mouth shut, and turned her attention to Violet.

"The pink scarf belongs to me. I heard you saying it was an important piece of evidence, and that you had lost it at the hospital. I quickly found out that it was my scarf you were talking about, and because of some questions Mei had asked me lately, about magic, I concluded that she was a part of the robbery at Mr. Gold's," Violet continued.

"What did she, you, I mean, what did you ask her about?" Emma asked Mei and nodded towards Violet.

"I asked her about if she knew any methods in copying magic, and how to break a protection spell, and Violet, I'm so sorry, I know that I pressed you into answering me, and it was never meant for it to be a set up to let people think it was you, I promise," Mei broke in and spoke to Violet directly.

Emma had always thought of Violet to be quite the forgiving person, especially when thinking back on the first encounter between the two of them, but surprisingly the forgiveness didn't came clear through. Instead, Violet just nodded at Mei, and looked towards Emma.

"I tried to tell you, Emma, quite a lot of times, actually, but either you were too busy or the time wasn't right. I tried to tell a lot of people in here, but couldn't find the courage to do so, but after the night when they attacked you, I felt so guilty that I spoke with Killian about it, and told the rest of your family afterwards," the young girl told her.

"Killian informed me about what Violet had told me, and I decided on behalf of him and the family to keep this from you. I feared that telling you could lead you to act without thinking, but yesterday I was quite shocked to see that not telling you could lead to the same, and therefore I decided to call in everyone to let you in on everything," David told her as he took over, and took a deep, shaky breath, and waited for her answer.

"So, so you all knew?" She asked them gazing at them all. From Hank who stood by the window at her right side to Killian who sat beside her.

"Aye, love, we did," Killian admitted, and carefully laid a hand on her knee. Emma didn't react to either his words or touch. Instead she went deep into her thoughts, trying to comprehend what she had been told.

Once again, the silence filled the room, and Killian shifted nervously in his seat. "Love, please, speak to us," he pleaded her, but still no reaction came from her.

 _'Why have they kept all this from me? Am I really not worth their trust? What did her father think she would do? Did she even deserve to keep the title as Sheriff for this town since her own family didn't trust her?'_

"Emma, sweetheart, talk," David pleaded too.

Taking a deep breathe, Emma stood up, still not saying anything. She embraced her arms around her, and slowly made her way past Hank and Robin, and slowly headed to the windows, looking out as if no one was there.

Everyone seemed to hold their breath as they watched her. No one saying a thing or moving an inch.

"So, you really don't trust me?" She asked, and turned directly towards David as if it was only the two of them in the room. "Emma, honey, please, it was not what I-" David began, but stopped as Emma held her hand up. Her eyes were glancing, and tears was pressing through even though Emma tried to hold them back.

"After all we have been through, and you think I couldn't have handled that information?" She asked him, her eyes burning into his. She tried with all her might to keep calm. It was neither good for her, her baby, or anyone in the room if her temper took off.

"Sweetheart, what David told me back then was for me and the others to keep this as to protect you from doing something that could have hurt you, especially thinking of what happened last time you went on your own," Snow defended with a calm voice.

"What do you think I would have done?" She asked her father, ignoring her mother's intervene.

"Emma, listen, you, and you have it from me, one hundred percent, a tendency to act without thinking, and as I said, you got that from me, just ask your husband what happened not long ago. I lost it when I couldn't protect you or wake Snow. Had it not been for Killian, I would have done something terribly stupid, and I feared that the same could happen to you, and you got to admit that yesterday was close," he told her while clasping his hands, holding his fingers straight and held towards his chin.

"That was because no one would tell me anything! How senseless do you all think I am? I knew that you all kept something from me by the way you all acted, and as soon as I tried confronting you, you would all leave me," she told him, nodding at both her mother, and Killian as she spoke.

Taking a shaky breathe, Emma continued, "I almost hurt someone who could have been Henry when talking about the age. You're right, dad, I acted without thinking. I was desperate in knowing what was going on, and I don't know what happened it was if the rage just got me, and I almost -" she stopped mid sentence, and gazed at Mei.

"I'm sorry, I have to get out of here," Emma whispered, and backed away. Turning around she was about to head to the door when a hand gripped her arm. Turning around she gazed directly into her son's eyes.

"Mom, please, stay, we need you to inform you more, or Mei does," Henry pleaded and nodded towards Mei.

Not wanting to wrestle out of her son's hand, she nodded slowly, and looked at Mei.

"I..I need your help, Emma," Mei spoke out softly, but looked up surprised when Emma began laughing slightly.

"Emma?"

"Mom?"

"I'm sorry, did I hear correctly, you want me to help you?" Emma asked in disbelief at the girl, eyeing the others in the room, and became quite surprised when she met their questioning gazes towards her. Wait a minute, did they expect that too?

"Yes, Emma, I did. I, I mean we need you to recreate the Nightin -."

"You must be joking." Emma interrupted disbelieved, and crossed her arms. "I'm not, Emma, I'm asking you to help us-." "No! The answer is no," she refused holding her gaze at the girl, ignoring the shocked faces of her family.

Mei took a step back in shock, and gazed towards all of the others in the room.

"Emma, love," Killian tried as he stood up, and reached towards her, but was completely ignored, and Emma wrenched away.

"Mom, please, listen to her," Henry tried, but not even Henry made Emma turn her gaze away from Mei.

"I'm sorry, but past experience has taught me not to jump in without thinking twice, getting where I'm going, dad?" She shortly turned towards David who just swallowed a lump holding his hands at his side, but didn't say anything.

"Last time someone asked me to help them, he tried to kill me everytime I turned around. Give me one reason to trust you. Not only have you tricked your way into getting the info you need, you also decided to gather a mob, rob a store, trying to rob a second one, and attacking me when I tried to stop you. I don't what kind of potion you have tricked my family with, but I'm sorry, I'm not falling for it, especially not when I'm expecting a second child. I cannot put my family at risk like that," she told Mei without looking away.

"Hey! That is no way of talking to my daughter," Mei's father broke in, and stepped up to Mei along with her mother, breaking Emma's gaze at the girl, and now both stood protectively by their daughter.

"Please, Emma listen to us, we need your support," Mei's mother tried out, but bit her cheek as Emma turned shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do this. I know I'm the Savior and with that, responsibility follow, but I can't save everyone, and I'm not interested in helping people that I don't trust," she finished, and once again, she turned around and was about to walk towards the front door as she just wanted to get away from here.

"You can't just walk away like that!" Mei shouted, tears now streaming down her face.

"Watch me," Emma spoke coldly over her shoulder, but stopped when her father spoke, "Emma, please listen to her," he asked her, but stepped back when she turned around with a furious look.

"Don't tell me that you actually think I should help them. What became of all the 'me-acting-without-thinking?'" She hissed at him, but did not let him, or anyone intervene, "but I'm sure we're not done with all the secrets are we? What else do you know here? Oh wait, forget it, because apparently I can't be trusted with info like that," she angrily spat out, throwed her arms in the air.

Emma took a deep breath, knowing she was overreacting, but at the same time, she couldn't help it. She felt so betrayed by all of her loved ones, and she did not trust that Mei-girl and her family one bit. They were nice now, but so was Neal, so was Cora, so was Gideon, and while there had been different reasons behind their actions, they all left behind that feeling of doubt towards newcomers who wanted her help.

"Love, please, I'm sure that if you listened to what she has to say that you might reconsider it," Killian tried as he went to her, and this time he got to held her arm, and looked at her with a honest and pleading look.

"I'm sorry, Killian, but I can't, not right now," she whispered, "I have to think of our family first," she concluded and held her free hand to her stomach. Killian looked down as well, and turned towards the family of three behind them, clearly conflicted in his thoughts.

"Emma this is not like you," Regina tried to intervene, but neither she had any luck.

"I can't do this. I'm sorry, I need to get away from here," Emma whispered and retreated her arm from Killian's grasp, and turned around.

"Love, please, wait," Killian tried slightly desperate, but with no luck.

With one swift of her hand a grey-white cloud of smoke surrounded Emma, and the last thing she heard was her son screaming;

"Mom! Please, don't!

* * *

Storybrooke forest, later:

And now here she was.

Opening her eyes, she looked outside and was surprised to see that the rain had stopped, and the sun was shining through.

Still, Emma kept staying where she was. How was she going to face them? Maybe they had been right, and maybe she should have listened, but at the same time, she had been so upset by the whole thing of her family lying to her that she simply hadn't been able to take anymore.

Leaning her head back, Emma turned deeper into her thoughts as she went through her options. No matter what, she would have to face them at some point, and maybe she should listen to what Mei wanted.

Closing her eyes, Emma came to think of her own secret, which she had been keeping from them for weeks now. The dream about the palace, the people, and the bird. First the dream had ended with her holding a mechanical bird, but now it had changed to a real bird, but still the dream would stop just as she got it, and the people around her began yelling at her.

She wanted to tell them about it, but at same time she feared that they would overreact.

Opening her eyes, Emma realised that her fears about the dreams equalled the fears her father had for her. It was all about making sure that people around them wasn't overreacting, or acting without thinking. Yes, the dream she had was nothing like the disturbing visions she had about her death not so long ago, but still it was quite unsettling, and there was no doubt that it meant something.

Making her decision, Emma got up and went out of the small cave. Drops fell from the pine trees, and the ground was soaked. The sun shining from above med the drops on the moss on the ground look like small crystals glistening.

Taking a deep breath to prepare facing the fire, Emma made one swift with her hand, and closed her eyes to imagine Main Street.

* * *

Storybrooke, Main Street

"I told you it was a bad idea keeping this from her!"

"I know, I know!

"Killian, David, stop! Fighting doesn't help anyone!"

"You agreed to hold this from her as well, Snow!"

"I agreed to hold it back until you told her, which you didn't! You should have seen her that night, she was devastated!"

"Everybody, stop fighting!"

The raging voices of her family could be heard even before her smoke cleared. No one had noticed a familiar grey-white smoke appearing on main street, and Emma had to yell loudly in order for them to stop.

Everyone turned towards the voice who had intervened, and they all just stood there and stared silently at Emma. As of this moment, Emma chose to ignore the dizziness that attacked her, and shook her head.

"Oh, gosh, Emma! Where have you been?!" Her mother asked her clearly worried as she went to her daughter, embracing her, and pulled out to get a good overview.

"I'm fine, mom, I just had to think things through. Is Mei still here?" She asked looking around.

"When you left, they returned home shortly afterwards, love," Killian explained.

Biting her inner cheek, Emma glanced around. "Alright, then I'll tell them myself. I will agree to help her, or at least listen to what she wants," Emma announced to them all, which made everyone raise their eyebrows in surprise.

"What made you change your mind so sudden?" David asked crossing his arms.

"I don't know, it's not as I feel like I owe it to her, but at the same time listening to her wouldn't hurt, I guess," she shrugged off. "I'll drive by tomorrow, and see if she's there," Emma told them.

Taking a deep, but shaky breathe, Emma looked at them all, "guys, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have acted like that, neither towards you, dad, or Mei, or anyone else, I guess I was just shocked." "Honey, we are truly sorry too. You didn't deserve having us keeping this from you. I guess I went in all overprotective father mode. Of course I trust you, and from now on, you will not be let out," her father spoke truthfully, and went to hug his daughter. Emma gladly returned the embrace, and almost felt tears in her eyes. Damn pregnancy hormones.

As they pulled out of the hug, Emma considered if she should tell them about the dreams, but it was as if something kept her from saying anything. Her thoughts was interrupted by her mother;

"Okay then. I'll suggest we will take the rest of the day off and start tomorrow first thing," Snow announced which everyone nodded in agreement for. Today had been eventful enough.

"What do you say that we all gather together for dinner at Granny's?" Regina suggested, and everyone agreed at that too with wide smiles on their faces.

"We'll head home to take care of the horses, take over from Doc, and get changed," David told them, and both him and Snow turned around hand in hand as they headed towards their car. "Okay then, I guess we will head back as well to Zelena, and get the kids ready," Regina announced, and motioned with her hand towards Robin, Zelena, Henry, and Violet to come along, "but mom, Killian, and I were going to clean up on the Jolly Roger," Henry told her. "I can drop you on the way home. Come on! You too, pirate," Regina hissed slightly. Killian only chuckled as the group went ahead in the other direction, and turned towards Emma as they now were left alone.

"Love, I'm truly sorry for what happened. Listen, I fully understand your need to get away back then, and I will not hold that against you. I should have supported you back then," Killian told her truthfully as he gripped both of her hands and lifted them up to kiss them both. Emma only smiled slightly as she felt the guilt of still not telling him about her dreams which she now knew had a connection with the whole situation going on. "It's okay," she whispered back truthfully which earned a honest grateful nod from Killian before he turned around and went along with the rest of the small group.

Emma smiled at them, and turned around to head for the station. Out of nowhere, it was as if the world around her stopped, and everything became blurry. 'What's happening?' Emma's inner voice asked in confusion as she bent over, hands on her knees panting heavily as if she had been running 10 miles full speed. 'I..I can't move,' she thought to herself, and tried to blink a few times, and focus on the street in front of her. She succeeded for a slight moment and the concrete in front of her became clear, but then it was like the world around flashed out in white, and slowly her knees buckled, and like a marionette doll, she crumbled to the ground unconscious.

Granny had just gone outside with a sign with the soup of the day, when she looked up to see the horrible scene of Snow's daughter falling to the ground with everyone of her family walking away, not sensing a thing.

"Oh dear. SNOW!" The panicked cry from Granny runged through the area, and made everyone either stop up abruptly, or turn their heads towards her. "Granny, whats? -" Snow didn't get to say anymore as Granny pointed frankly behind her.

Turning around, both Snow, and David went pale, as did Killian, and Henry when all their gazes fell upon Emma lying on the ground, not moving.

"EMMA!"

"Love!"

"Mom!"

* * *

 _Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep_

The sound of a constant beeping rouse her slowly from the darkness.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. A bright light shone from above and she had to squint her eyes and blink a few times before her eyes got used to the light. Her surroundings were blurry, but she could tell that she was lying on a hospital bed.

She felt a strong hand clutching to hers, and as she gazed towards it, she could make out a figure who was sitting on a chair beside her bed. Blinking a few times, her vision became more clear, and she smiled slightly at the sight of her husband sitting there, hand in hers, looking out at the window in her room, clearly deep in thought.

Her head began pounding the more she woke, and her groan made his head turn towards her immediately. Signing in relief, he smiled at her, "hey there, love," he whispered to her, and clutched her hand more tightly.

"Wh...what happened?" She asked him, and winced as her throat felt raw and dry. "Here," he spoke, and handed her a plastic cup with water. Holding the cup for her, Emma drank slowly, and she closed her eyes in relief as her throat felt much better now.

"You fainted on the street, love," Killian told her, and she could see in his eyes that the experience was still clear in his mind. "I was just about to head off with the lad, and Regina, when Granny suddenly screamed out your mother's name, when we turned around, you were just lying there," he filled her in. "You gave us quite the scare, love. Your mother is still out in the waiting room, but your father took the lad home though he was protesting loudly, and the others left not so long ago afterwards," he continued, and kissed her hand lightly.

Emma only nodded, and closed her eyes. How she hated that Henry had been there, no child should...Oh no! What about? Her suddenly lifting her head with wide eyes must have given it away, because as if he could read her thoughts, Killian clutched her hand even more, "shh, shh, love, everything is fine, the baby is okay," he soothed her. The relief washed over her, and she leaned back again.

"Dr. Whale thinks it was exhaustion, and stress from the past few days," Killian told her, "he said he wanted to keep you here for two days and have you rest completely for the rest of the week," he informed her, and laughed a little when she rolled her eyes. He knew that resting was far from the top on Emma's priority list, but she knew she had to follow doctor's orders this time around. Not only for herself but for the baby as well.

The pair kept silent for a moment, but was interrupted when Dr. Whale came in, "ahh, I see the Savior has returned to the land of the living, how are you feeling?" He asked her as he began checking on her vitals. "My head is pounding, and I feel tired," she told him honestly, "all right," Dr. Whale answered, and took out his pen to lit into Emma's pupils.

"Everything seems to be fine, and I'll send a nurse in to give you some tylenols for the pain," he told her, and stood up. "I want to keep you here for two days, and have you resting for of the week." Emma already knew that from Killian's description from earlier, but kept silent about it and just nodded.

"I will head out and tell your mother that you're awake, I think that she really wants to see you," he smiled at her, and headed out of the room.

It was not before long that a relieved, but still worried Snow stood in the doorway, "oh, Emma!" She whispered, and hurried to the other side of the bed, grabbing her other hand. "I was so worried," she almost cried as she caressed Emma's cheeks, and stroke her forehead, brushing hair away.

Emma only smiled at her. She could feel the exhaustion hitting her, and once again, Killian seemed to be the mind reader as he laid her hand back to gently stroke her arm. "Go back to sleep, love, you need it," he told her, and soon Emma's eyelids felt too heavy, and she slowly went back to sleep.

* * *

 **How glad I am that I made the decision to split this up. This would have been too long if it had been one chapter :)**

 **So, I hope you liked this, and as I have proclaimed a few times now, next chapter will start of the second arc of this story. You'll get more info about the story behind the Nightingale in, and how Mei is, and actually more importantly, who her grandfather is, because he is actually a combination of the grandfather in the actual Nightingale fairy tale, and another quite important fictional character as I'm going to intervene another franchise ;)**

 **There was a lot of conflict in this chapter, and there still will be - lots of! I really like to explore conflicts and make them dimensional. I hate when conflicts are clearly one-sided, because it gets too easy to be on either side. I like when you can see things from more than one character's point of view, and not necessarily be able to pick one side. I tried to do that with David and Emma here, hope I was somewhat successful, and of course the conflict will go deeper as Emma still has a secret of her own. :)**

 **Another thing. I know I have made the major bug. The Sheriff station is not placed on Main Street, but for this story, just imagine that Regina decided to remove it so it's more or less directly across from Granny's. Magic, you know ;)**

 **As promised, I will here give the soundtracks for this story:**

 **From next chapter and forward, listening to Marcus Warner's "The Way of Honour" would really help to be in the tone of where this story is going as we will take some trips back, and forth to ancient/fairytale China.**

 **Yanni's "The Nightingale" is the Nightingale's song/sound you can imagine when I describe the beautiful voice of a singing bird.**

 **Also, IMPORTANT!:**

 **From next chapter, the image cover will get a makeover and the summary will change. As I have progressed in the story I can see that the summary can be a little misleading. I might change the title too, or more likely add something ;)**

 **Btw: I'm still pretty annoyed by these horizontal lines. They disappear every time I save my chapters, but with or without them, I hope you can follow along :)**

 **Flaxen**


	14. Act 2: The Dragon Warrior

**Act 2: The Dragon Warrior**

 **Week 13: June:**

 **The body:** _Welcome to the second trimester, Savior! This is usually the time when you as an upcoming mother feel your best. You are over the 'joy' of early pregnancy, and now have more energy. You will also begin to feel pregnant. Even though birth is months away, your breasts may already started on making colostrum, the nutrient-rich fluid that feeds your baby for the first few days after birth, before your milk starts to flow. Your belly may be popping out a bit now as well. Women start showing at different times in their pregnancies so don't stress if you're not obviously pregnant, or if you look like you're in your 14th month. Your internal organs shift positions to make room for an expanding uterus, and your skin stretches to allow your bump to grow outward. As your uterus stretches, you may feel some abdominal achiness. This is called "round ligament pain". You're finally not just feeling pregnant - you're looking pregnant too! This will also be the time where that pirate of yours, along with the rest of your family will start to become more involved as the pregnancy becomes more real for them. Also, if you're still feeling tired, listen to your body, and rest!_

 **The baby:** _Your baby's eyelids are fused shut to protect the eyes as they develop. The bones and skull are solidifying, and soon the ribs will start appearing. Your baby's intestines are finally right where you want them - in the belly and not poking out into the umbilical cord. Your baby's tooth sockets are all loaded and ready to pop out baby teeth six or seven months after baby is born. Also, the baby's vocal cords and larynx are completed now. Your baby is almost 3 inches long - the size of a chicken egg, and weighs nearly an ounce._

 _One trimester down, two more to go!_

* * *

Valley of Peace, China:

The sunset created an mixture of the most beautiful colors imaginable. Yellow, orange, and purple painted the sky as the sun slowly disappeared behind the barrier of tall mountains, surrounding the great valley in the Chinese landscape.

A thousand years ago, this place was found by Master Wūguī Ling, in this realm known as Master Oogway.

After departing from his home in the Galápagos Islands, he had traveled the world to discover every country in the world. He had stood on a hill overlooking the valley here in China, and knew that he had found the place he would call home the rest of his life.

He had founded the Peace Village, and by now, it had become inherited by a good amount of people. Not too many, not too few. Among the newcomers, Oogway had found his one true love, and had slowly created a small family. One daughter who had now grown up, and had made her own family with a lovely husband, and two daughters.

In the early years, shortly after having found the valley, Oogway had planted the seed of a peach tree, his favorite tree. The tree now known as The Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom stood on the top of Peach Tree Hill. Every day, by sunset, wearing his green cloak with a stylized yin-yang symbol, Oogway would go up here, and do his tai chi. From the hill, he could look down on his beloved village and out across the valley. His home, and the place he had sworn to protect from any danger, and harm.

Not far away from the hill, the Jade Palace stood. The palace was large, elaborately designed, and sacred. Standing on the top of Jade Mountain, it overlooked the Valley of Peace, and could be seen from hundreds of miles, and it was well known to be the symbol of justice, honor, and courage.

True to the name, the Jade Palace's roofs was colored deep in jade green. However, other colors such as blue, orange, yellow, and red also decorated the roofs, but to a lesser extent. While the main entrance was jade green as well, the pillars supporting the lower roof was red with golden dragons spiraling down them. Inside the palace the Hall of Warriors was found, which contained all the artifacts of past masters. The palace grounds contained an arena for public tournaments, a training hall with an outdoor training courtyard, student barracks, and a bell tower.

The Jade Palace served as the grand residence for the kung fu masters, and the students, and was owned by Oogway's earlier student and great old friend, Master Shifu.

Master Shifu overtook the position as Senior Master after Oogway had retired, and had been the trainer behind the famous Furious Five.

In all of the years, Oogway had accomplished many things. Both here in the valley, in China, and even outside of the country. This included the creation, and perfection of kung fu, the development of the Dragon Warrior legend.

The Dragon Warrior? You might ask.

Legend says that one, and only one would get the powers to be the Dragon Warrior. The title has been inherited from person to person. As one would fail to defeat the threat, another would take over. The power of the Dragon Warrior is said to be the most powerful source of light magic in all realms. In other realms, the title of the Dragon Warrior was also known as the Savior.

* * *

Storybrooke, at Emma's and Killian's:

A week had passed since the accident where Emma had fainted on Main Street. Since then she had spent two days in the hospital, and the rest of the week at home.

During the days, Emma had gotten a treatment by her husband and family that would have challenged if not beaten the level that a queen would be treated in the Enchanted Forest. If she as much as coughed, Killian would be there instantly, and it wasn't Killian, it was either her mother, father, or son would come running as if she was dying, and while Emma was a person who hated to be nursed, she had to admit that she had actually enjoyed relaxing and being taken care of.

It had almost made her forget about the whole situation with Mei, and the dreams about the Chinese people, and the bird. She was only reminded when she fell asleep and the dream would appear.

Maybe it was time to let people in on that. Whatever it meant, there was potential for it meaning danger was on it's way, and with her expecting her second, and Killian's first child, she was not going to take any risk. During her stay in the hospital, Dr. Whale had given her the first ultrasound with Killian by her side, and now sitting here on the couch with the photo from the scanning, and feeling the small bump on her stomach with the other hand, the feeling of responsibility hit her even harder

She wanted to tell them, or at least telling Killian, but she had a hard time figuring out how. She could still recall the disappointed, and somewhat angry faces of her family when she had told them about the visions of her death months ago, and how she had been forced to tell it. She didn't want to be in that situation again, and she knew that at some point she would be forced to tell them, and that they would be as disappointed as she had been on them last week when they told her about how they had held back information about Mei and her link to the robberies.

Still though, the past week had taken quite the toll on her, and she felt like she couldn't find the right time to tell them. The meeting with Mei had been postponed as well, and from what she could understand, Mei had done quite effort to ignore her, and her family. Apparently she would ignore Henry and Violet in school, and she had cancelled out on the meetings in the math group since the meeting at the station.

Emma felt the need to get up. She had been sitting here on the couch since she woke up. For the whole week 'travelling' from her bed to the couch in the living room had been her only way of 'exercise', and while she knew she should at least text Killian or her parents as they were out at either the harbor, the school, or the station, she wanted to be alone for a moment, and ever since she had escaped the tight up situation at the station last week, she could only think of one good place with the quiet enough atmosphere to think.

And with one flick of her hand, she was gone in a cloud of grey smoke.

* * *

Chinese village, Storybrooke:

"I'm sorry, Mr. Nolan, but if the Savior really wants to talk to us, she will have to show up on her own," and with that Jun closed the door firmly, completely ignoring David's slightly shocked expression.

David knew he had the authority to break in, but he knew that that would leave even more chaos than there already was. Emma had a few days ago mentioned that she had wanted to talk with Mei, but by both doctor's orders and her family's insisting she had not moved an inch from her home. David had thought of bringing Mei to her, but so far, no luck, this had been the second day in a row that Jun had refused to let him even come inside the house.

Giving up, he turned around and went to the car, and drove away.

Jun embraced herself as she could hear David knocking on the door, calling her, but she decided not to open again. While she knew that the Savior was indeed needed for the whole village, she couldn't forget the quite mean spirited way that her daughter had been rejected.

Burying her face in her hands, she sighed deeply. They really needed her, and if what her father had told her was true that the Savior was hearing the Nightingale then it meant that the possibility of them going home grew even bigger as they would have the much needed support to defeat their villain.

Collecting herself, she decided to check on her father, and make his tea while she was at it. While he was often sleeping at this time of day, and often asked to be alone at this point, she had a feeling that she should check up on him. While preparing the tea, Jin lost herself in her thoughts. She was indeed worried for him. More than she had ever been, and while the tea could withhold his coughing so long, she knew that the 'ingredient' they needed the most was locked away far, far away from here, and only one person could help them bring it back, and make it 'work' again.

After a few minutes, the tea was ready, and Jun took out a tray and placed the cup and teapot on it, and slowly went upstairs, careful not to trip or drop anything.

Entering her father's room she almost dropped the tray in shock as her eyes widened. The bed was empty. Placing the tray in the bedside table, she ran out to the hallway and knocked on the door to the bathroom.

"Father! Father! Are you in there?" She asked slightly panicked, praying that he was in there, but no answer. Fearing the worst, she slowly opened the door, but was yet again surprised to find the room completely empty for people.

Where could he be? Her father never left the house, heck, he didn't even knew the way to Main Street.

Hurrying downstairs, she opened the front door praying slightly that David hadn't left, but unfortunately, the Sheriff's wagon was gone.

* * *

Storybrooke Forest;

Just like last week, Emma now stood in the forest glade by the fallen trunk.

A wave of heavy dizziness hit her hard, and she had to sit down, and closed her eyes. Taking deep breathes, she began feeling more steady, and as she opened her eyes, she felt more fresh and clear again.

Standing up she decided to walk along the trail that she had been on last week. Smiling to herself as she passed the cave that had protected her from the rain, she decided to walk past it and further down the trails, at least she knew where she could hide if a rain storm would come.

As she walked along, she thought more deeply of how she would approach Mei. It wasn't rocket science that the girl probably was scared to death of her, and Emma knew she would have to be careful when going to her. It irritated her deeply that Mei had been so distant as Henry and Violet had described as she really wanted to know Mei's status.

Her thoughts was interrupted abruptly as she had now reached another forest glade, but this was indeed different. If different even could describe it;

In front of her the most beautiful tree stood. She couldn't make out what kind of tree, but that didn't seem to matter as the whole place had an atmosphere of a peacefulness and quietness that she couldn't remember having experienced any other place in Storybrooke or even the Enchanted Forest.

The tree before her was nothing like the pine woods surrounding the glade. It seemed to be somewhat 13 feet tall. The tree top was covered in pink flowers and petals was falling here and there from it, and the ground was covered in green moss around it. On the ground underneath the tree branches, a stone bench was placed. Beside the tree a small pond was spread out. The water was completely stilled and it created a beautiful reflection of the tree.

Nearing it, Emma could make out some kind of fruit hanging from it and as she came even closer, she could tell it was peaches. A peach tree!

Looking around, she took more in of the place. It was as if she had entered a completely other realm. A few minutes ago she had walked along a trail with ferns and high pine woods and now she stood her in this, yeah, magical place.

Silence filled the area. No birds, no wind or any other sound.

Turning back to the tree, Emma slowly reached out to grab one, when she was interrupted by a voice.

"Oh yes, the peach tree, the symbol of spring, and renewal, a gift from Mother Nature herself."

Slightly startled Emma turned around to see an elderly man walking towards her. Wearing a yellowish green robe, a green cloak, and a cone shaped, yellow straw hat, it was clear to her that he was Chinese. Using a slightly two forked wooden staff he slowly neared her.

'Who is he? And where did he come from?' She asked herself as she eyed the man confused, trying to remember seeing him before, but nothing came in her mind.

"Who are you?" She asked trying not to sound too insecure, and stepped back slightly.

The elderly man just smiled at her and shook his head. "Easy there, child, I'm not here to cause any harm," he spoke calmly, and closed the distance so he was now standing by her.

"I see you found my secret place. Not even my family know about this," he spoke and used the staff as a support to sit down on the stone bench. "I come here every afternoon to connect with nature," he continued, ignoring Emma's confused stare and kept his gaze out on the pond. "My strength is not what it used to be. I am an old turtle after all, or that is what my granddaughter used to call me in her younger years," he chuckled, and finally turned his gaze towards Emma.

"You seem to have a lot in your mind, child," he commented and patted the empty seat beside him for Emma to sit down. Emma kept standing on her spot though, not completely sure if she could trust this man.

"I sense your doubt. It's quite alright. You can trust in good old Wūguī here," he calmly stated, and slowly, Emma neared the man. Wūguī. She had never heard of anyone by that name. Not even from Henry's book could she recall having heard of anyone named Wūguī.

"You remind me quite a lot of another young spirit. Though he had other ways to show it, he was quite insecure as well," Wūguī told while watching the younger woman as she slowly sat down by him, clearly stiff in her body language.

Wūguī had met countless of people through his thousand years of living, and he could always feel when an indeed special soul was nearby and there was no doubt that the woman beside him was one of them. No wonder that destiny had picked her out to be the new Dragon Warrior. Though, it was also clear to him that her insecurity towards him came from a life filled with betrayal and being hurt by those that was supposed to care for her.

"So, you come here everyday?" Emma finally gathered herself enough to ask and gazed around once again. This place was stunning, but yet so out of place from the other parts in the forest.

"That I do, indeed, but please, keep it between the two of us. So far those back at home doesn't know," he whispered holding his hand up to his mouth on one side as if others were listening to their conversation.

"As I said, I'm not the young fellow I used to be, and the family is too worried to leave me be for a long time, so I often use sleeping as a cover," he told Emma, who smirked slightly by the elder man's trick. She used to do that too when she would run away from bad foster homes in her younger years.

Suddenly the peace and quiet was interrupted by Emma's phone. At least she had brought it with her this time. Standing up, she took the device out, and smiled when she saw her husband's picture on the screen. Her heart dropped though when she also noticed the time, gosh, she had been gone for hours. He must have been worried sick!

"It's me," she greeted after tapping the green button and taking the phone to her hears.

"Emma! Oh gosh, where are you?" Came the slightly desperate voice from her pirate.

"I'm out in the woods. I had to get out for some fresh air, I'm sorry, I didn't mind the time," she apologized honestly, and sighed a little.

"It's okay, love. I just worried that something happened to you. I just came home hours ago, and neither your parents or Henry had seen you, or heard from you," he explained, and Emma immediately felt even more guilt by knowing that the rest of her family knew about her 'disappearance' too.

"Listen, Emma, your father just got a call from Jun Ling, you know, Mei's mother. Her father is missing, and she told us that he's very sick, and he needs to get home immediately," Killian continued, and Emma glanced at Wūguī, and smiled to herself, "any description of that elderly man?" She asked out loud, and had to fight to hide her laugh as Wūguī looked up at her.

"Yeah ok...I'll look for him out here...Okay, see you at the station, love you," she finished off and put the phone back in her pocket.

"I think your family has discovered your fake-sleeping lie," she smirked at him, and Wūguī laughed back. "It seems so. Then I guess you found me," he laughed and spread out his arms.

"So, are you going to go home by yourself or?" She began slowly, but stopped when Wūguī waved his hand at her. "Naah, I will go home soon, it's not so far away, you can go back to your family" he shrugged off, and kept sitting on the bench.

"What about your family? Your daughter seems to be worried about you," Emma wondered out loud, crossing her arms.

"She is indeed, but that will be my burden to carry, not yours. I will be home soon, don't worry," he assured her, and Emma only nodded and was about to walk towards the path that had let her to this place.

"Same time tomorrow?" Wūguī asked out loud, making Emma stop abruptly in her pace and turned her gaze towards the man who still sat on the bench, back facing her.

"I want to show you something," he told her, and turned his neck to face her.

Emma stood still for a moment, considering what to do. The man seemed trust worthy but mysterious at the same time. Biting lightly at her inner cheek, she nodded at him, "okay, same time tomorrow," she agreed, and was about to turn around and walk away again when Wūguī's voice once again stopped her.

"Please keep this place to yourself will you? Let it be our little secret," he whispered to her and held his forefinger up to his mouth while shushing.

Once again, Emma only nodded, and this time there was no interruption as she walked out of the now 'secret place'.

As Emma disappeared out of sight, Wūguī turned his gaze up at his peach tree. The peach tree was of the very same sapling from his old and missed home.

Standing up, he slowly began focusing on his breath and began doing his tai chi movements. While doing his coordinated movements and focusing on his breath and inner self, he was interrupted when the corner of his eye caught something white.

While eying the figure that had landed on the small pond, he kept doing his movements by standing on one leg and slowly stretching the other out and slowly putting it down on the ground while stretching his arm out while the other hand held onto his staff for balance.

"I see, you have found the place too, how convenient," he commented to the mute swan who was now gliding across the water.

The swan turned towards him, and slowly swam towards him.

Sensing it was not threatening, Wūguī kept on focusing, but still had an eye on the the fowl.

The bird now raised up and flapped its wings out in the air before collecting them again as if it wanted to say something to him.

Wūguī chuckled a little, "you know more than I do, don't you?" He asked the swan and stopped his movements to watch the white creature.

The bird turned its gaze towards him, but spread out its wings and was in the air again, flying away from the spot.

* * *

Storybrooke, the station, later:

Emma had just appeared outside of the station, and had to yet again fight off the dizziness hitting her before she went inside.

"Emma! There you are," her father greeted her as she went inside.

Both him, and Killian was sitting by the desks in the open area of the station, and both stood up as she walked in.

She smiled as she was greeted with both hugs and kisses from both men, and she had to fight not to roll her eyes as they guided her to the couch to sit down.

"Guys, I'm fine, I'm sorry for worrying you, but seriously, I just needed to get out, and wasn't think about time," she told them, and tried to sound firm enough for them to understand this, but had to smile slightly as she realized that the 'treatment' she was getting now was as adorable as it was annoying, and when a hot cup of coffee was handed to her, she sighed slightly, but thanked for the drink, and began sipping at it.

"I guess by you coming here alone, you didn't find our missing person," David commented as both he and Killian stood up now that the 'damsel in slight, or no distress' was saved and was sitting put on the couch.

Emma only shook her head, and was about to suggest going out to search for him, or in her case, going out to the 'secret place' to see if he had gone home or not, when the station's mobile ringtone was heard from the closed of office.

Killian hurried into the room, and got the phone, and though neither Emma, or David could hear the conversation clearly, they could tell that it was good news by Killian's relieved expression.

"That was Jun, apparently her father had went out for a walk, but he is home now," Killian told them after hanging up as he walked towards them with the phone in his hand.

"Oh, that's a relief, I don't think I would be able to handle one more trip in the woods," Emma spoke out loud as she leaned back and stretched her arms out.

"You wouldn't have been allowed to anyway," David commented, and Emma only rolled her eyes slightly by his answer.

"Well, what do you say that we call it for today and go home to the farm, I will take the shift tonight and take the phone," David announced and took the phone from Killian's hand, and put in his pocket, "and if the rumors are true, dinner should be of roasted chicken," David announced and clapped his hands together and smiled as both daughter and son-in-law nodded happily, and all three got up and left.

* * *

Charming's Farm, night:

By the time dinner had been consumed and all the dishes had been done, it was quite dark outside, even for June.

Snow had offered both Emma, and Killian to stay overnight, and they had both agreed as that had allowed for Killian and David to watch tonight's game of hockey was on screen, and both men sat with beer and cheered on the favorite team.

Emma, and Snow was sitting by the couch and looked at each other each time the boys would either cheer or shout out at the tv screen. Snow smiled to herself as she could feel Emma leaning more and more against her, but she knew that if Emma fell asleep on her now, it would be quite the challenge to get up and check on Neal without waking her up.

"Go to bed, sweetheart," she whispered at her daughter and placed a light kiss on Emma's forehead.

Only nodding slightly, Emma got up slowly and went to kiss her husband goodnight before she headed up to their room. Changing to her tank top which now felt more tight because of her small bump, and brushing her teeth all seemed to be in one big haze as she laid down on her side of the bed, falling asleep almost immediately.

That night, the dream came again, or so she thought;

 _The sky above her was a beautiful sunset, gradient with orange, pink, purple and yellow. In front of her a beautiful, and big Chinese palace stood, or wait, no! There was no palace in front of her. Instead, she was standing on a hill. Her eyes widened as she turned around beside her a tree stood. A tree with pink flowers covering its top, and with fruits hanging from its thinner branches. A peach tree. Sinking slowly, she turned around and her eyes was met by the most beautiful sight. A valley stretching across as far as her eyes could see. Mountains surrounded the place. Looking down she spotted a village. Turning back again towards the tree, something else caught her eye. Further away from where she stood she could the familiar jade green palace standing. So she was in the same area, but at a different spot, she figured._

 _"This is my home, Dragon Warrior," a voice suddenly spoke, making her jump slightly. Looking around for the source she was confused by seeing that no one was there. The voice was familiar though as if she had heard it before somewhere, but before she could wonder more about who the voice belonged to, and what it meant by 'Dragon Warrior', as she had heard that title in the other dreams, something in the corner of her eye caught her attention._

 _Turning her gaze toward it, her eyes widened slightly when she saw a small brownish bird sitting on one of the branches, looking down at her. There was no doubt. This was the same bird from her other dreams._

 _The small creature switched its gaze from her and out at the horisont and opened its beak._

 _Now the most beautiful and calming singing came from the small creature, and Emma closed her eyes as the song seemed to reach inside her, and she could feel herself relaxing in a way she had never experienced._

 _The song seemed to reach out across the valley, and soon the whole area echoed the song._

 _But then the dream took a turn to something far less pleasant;_

 _Like a scenery change at a theatre or in a movie, suddenly everything faded into black, and when faded out again, Emma was now standing facing a new area._

 _It was closed off by thick, and grey walls with four watch-towers by_ _each corner. Behind her, the area was closed off by a heavy, decorated entrance The floor was of stone tiles. Everything seemed to be only grey in color, except for the air which was blood red. Turning around, her eyes widened as she a traditional Chinese sky tower with about 10 stories with beautiful carvings on each floor._

 _The tower was placed on at least three concrete platforms. The one in the middle being the biggest, and the platforms made the tower go even higher._

 _The place was completely empty. No people around. No guards. No sounds._

 _Something told her to go nearer it, and slowly Emma made her way along the tiled pathway, and up towards the entrance. As she finally reached the heavy and closed off entrance, Emma gazed back for a moment. Now that she was even higher up, she could sense more of the area around her. It seemed more metropolized than what she remembered, and she could make out towers in the horisont here and there, but none of them as tall as the one she was about to see if she could climb._

 _Reaching out for the red, heavy, wooden door handle she glanced at the carvings on it. Retreating her hand, she stepped back a few steps to get a better look._

 _The carvings was of a beautiful peacock. She gazed into the eyes of the carved bird, and suddenly the bird's eyes lit up in a strong red color, and before she could react the peacock released itself from the carving and flew right into her._

Emma jerked up from her lying position with wide eyes. Looking around she could make out that she was in her room in her parent's farmhouse and that Killian was in deep sleep beside her.

Panting heavily, Emma ran her hand across her forehead. She could feel sweat on her skin, but she couldn't tell if it was from the dream or the warmth of a summer night.

"Emma, love?" A voice whispered horsley. A hand touched her back, and Emma jumped slightly.

"Hey, hey, what's going on?" Killian asked as he sat up more. He had been roused by Emma's sudden movement in the bed, and by the way she was looking and sounding it was clear to him that she had been haunted by a nightmare of some sort.

"Shh, shh," he whispered as he gathered her in his arms, and rubbed his good hand up and down her back.

Slowly but surely Emma could feel herself calming down, and she leaned her head back on Killian's chest, relieved by the feeling of safeness she got from him.

While Killian wanted to know what she had been dreaming of, he could also feel that the exhaustion was creeping up on Emma again, and he decided to let her sleep in again here in his arms.

Closing her eyes, Emma could feel herself drift of to sleep again, but not before a now familiar birdsong was heard from far, far away.


	15. The Secret Place

**The Secret Place**

 **Week 14: June:**

 **The body:** _You have reached the light at the end of the first out of many tunnels, Savior. This will be the time where you feel as good as you have felt in weeks. Sleep is still important, and so is relaxing. If your back starts hurting you can thank yet another hormone called relaxin. Just like it sounds, relaxin relaxes the joints and muscles in your body to help your pelvis expand and loosens the joints in your hips to make room for baby to come out. Relaxin production peaks at 14 weeks and remains in your system until after baby is born. Now you might start to show, and that can be quite the thrill for both you and your pirate. You may also start to think about the future and your role that fate have given you._ _Your uterus is now the size of a grapefruit._

 **The baby** : _Think of it this way: you're a third of the way through, and your baby is third of the way done. Now the skeleton and the organs have developed, your baby starts a period of rapid brain growth, fat build up, and detail work. Your baby now has fingerprints! And believe it or not, your baby actually created them itself while swimming around in the amniotic fluid. When the baby moved its hands, the skin on the tips of his fingers formed unique ridges and folds. That's why no one on earth has the same fingerprints, not even identical twins! Your baby's arms are now in proportion to his tiny body, but his legs are still on the short size in comparison. Meconium, that tar-like sticky baby waste is now loading up in your baby's intestines. Your baby is also starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo. Also the baby's liver starts making bile this week, and the spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel the tiny punches and kicks yet, your baby's hands and feet are more flexible and active now. Your baby is also producing urine and is actually urinating into the amniotic fluid. It can also practice on breathing the amniotic fluid in and out of its lungs. As disgusting as it sounds, it's perfectly safe for your baby right now as the baby uses the umbilical cord to breathe from. From head to bottom, the baby measures 3 1/2 inches - about the size of a lemon, and weighs 1 1/2 ounces._

* * *

Valley of Peace, China:

Master Oogway would never forget when he stumbled upon the last Dragon Warrior for the first time. A young boy who literally fell from the sky, and landed right in front of him when he was about to pick out a new Dragon Warrior.

Po was an orphan, who had been adopted by the town's noodle shop owner, and while Mr. Ping, Po's adoptive father wanted him to take over their family restaurant, Po dreamed about practicing kung fu. He idolized Master Shifu's Furious Five as heroes, and despite his overweight, and clumsy figure, he dreamt about becoming an unstoppable warrior.

Back then, Oogway had seen a vision of an old enemy returning; Tai Lung, and he knew, he had to find the new Dragon Warrior along with Shifu.

Tai Lung was the adoptive son, and former student of Master Shifu. He had been prophesied the title as the new Dragon Warrior. However, after he was denied the title by Oogway, Tai Lung revealed his true dark nature by ravaging the village, which resulted in his incarceration for twenty years.

During these twenty years, Master Shifu had trained five students back then; Mantis, Monkey, Crane, Viper, and Tigress. Also known as the legendary Furious Five, but Oogway knew that neither those five would be given the title. Fate would chose the title from birth, and the right owner of it would show up, and indeed he did.

When chosen neither Shifu, or his students would accept that a seemingly overweight, and unpracticed boy would be the one to defeat an enemy like Tai Lung, but when Oogway had retired and had gone away for a long journey, Shifu had been forced to face the truth, and after figuring out new training techniques for Po, Shifu had trained him, and when Oogway had returned he was gladly surprised by what had met him.

The boy had grown from an obese and easily tiring kid, to have mastered the highest level of kung fu, and had become a responsible and well trained warrior.

When Tai Lung had returned, he had beaten up the Furious Five without much difficulty, and Shifu had also taken quite the beat up.

Despite knowing about Po's fate as the Dragon Warrior, Oogway had worried about Po still being too new and inexperienced as having the title of the Dragon Warrior was not the same as being unbeatable, and Oogway had been close to intervene when Po had jumped in and fought Tai Lung in a long battle in the, by then, evacuated village.

Eventually, Tai Lung was defeated by Po, and the boy had reached his dream of becoming a great kung fu warrior, and lived alongside the Furious Five at the Jade Palace.

Three years later, Shifu and Oogway had introduced Po to inner peace. A peaceful state of mind and spirit.

In the words of Master Shifu, inner peace is the ability to "harness the flow of the universe", enabling one to do the seemingly impossible. Oogway had by then indicated that inner peace must be achieved by either meditating for years while fasting or experience extreme emotional pain.

It had been a year later, one sunset evening when Oogway had walked his daily walk up to the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom that he had witnessed Po finally reaching his new goal.

The boy was sobbing loudly afterwards, and Oogway had searched in his own spirit for answers on whether to go to the boy or leave him be. His inner voice told him to near the young one, but had been interrupted when a brownish bird suddenly flew in and landed on one of the tree branches.

Both Oogway and Po had been quite taken back by the new incomer, and Po hadn't even noticed Oogway nearing before the elder man stood right beside him.

"I have lived here for a thousand years, and never have I seen a bird land here," Oogway had told the younger warrior, and both stood mesmerized by the small creature for a moment.

The bird neared the two by jumping from branch to branch until it was standing on a branch directly over Po's head. The bird had leaped off and landed on Po's hand which he had reached out for it subconsciously. Both bird and man looked directly at each other, and Po had seemingly forgotten all about the presence of the elder master and creator of kung fu, when he had slowly touched the bird's head with his finger. A white glow surrounded the bird, and before Po could react, the bird had leaped of his hand and flew to the top of the peach tree.

Now, the small creature opened its beak and the most beautiful and calming sound came from the seemingly boring bird.

Ever since that day, the bird would land on the peach tree every afternoon and sing. The song was not only beautiful and soothing, it also seemed to stop every fight, heal every sick person and cheer up every sad individual. The song would linger hours afterwards when the bird would stop singing by midnight and come again next day, same time.

The bird was given the name "The Nightingale" by the village people, and by the time when the bird would come, the people would whisper "sing little Nightingale, sing," before the feathered creature would open its beak for yet another performance.

It had been one of the afternoons and The Nightingale were at its spot, singing the way it always did when Oogway had reached the hill.

The bird's singing had indeed helped him and the other kung fu masters in their practice whether it was fighting techniques or thai chi, and Oogway had been even more eager to go up here everyday after the bird had arrived.

When reaching the hill, it was almost a dejá vu when he spotted the Dragon Warrior sitting on the stone bench underneath the tree, looking out at the valley.

Silently, Oogway had neared the young warrior and had sat down beside him, and had just enjoyed the quietness and each other's presence when Oogway heard an inner voice telling him to ask the question that he had for Po in a long time.

"Can I ask you, young warrior, the day when The Nightingale came into our lives, what made you reach inner peace?"

Po had remained quiet, and Oogway could sense that it wasn't because of him not wanting to tell him, but he was figuring out how.

"For a long time, I've had a vision. A vision about what I soon figured out was about my past," he began, but kept his gaze out at the overview.

"What did you see?" The old master had asked and turned his gaze out at the horisont as well.

"I saw a flashback on how my family and village was destroyed by a man. I remember the sky being red as blood and the man leading the ambush wore a grey cloak with red carvings of a peacock."

* * *

The Secret Place, Storybrooke Forest, Monday afternoon:

Once again mesmerized by this place, Emma took a moment to gaze around as she stood at the entrance.

Just as she had agreed with Wugui on, she was once again here, and slowly went to the peach tree when she spotted a familiar figure sitting on the stone bench underneath the tree with his back facing her.

"For a moment I thought you had let me down," the elder man commented softly when he could feel another presence in the area, and knew exactly who it was.

"You said you wanted to show me something," Emma responded, and watched with interest as the man got up, using his staff for support. Slowly without saying anything, the man went to the small pond by the tree. The water was still and reflected the tree and the surroundings as if it was just a mirror in the ground.

With some swift and elegant moments, Wugui twirled the staff in his hand before grabbing it and slamming it into the water with a force so strong it made the water splash up above them. Tossing the staff aside, Wugui closed his eyes and stood still for a moment before circling his one foot so his leg was stretched out behind him with his other leg bending down slightly as he turned backwards and used tai chi movements to collect his hands slowly in gliding movements with his arms before turning back and stretching out his one arm. A drop from the splash landed onto his palm but instead of breaking it was floating on his hand, and slowly he guided the drop down onto a small flower, letting it glide to the ground.

Emma was completely stunned by the sight. How did he do that? As far as she could tell there was no magic involved here.

As if knowing her thoughts, Wugui chuckled slightly before speaking. "It's called; inner peace," he introduced and turned around, finally facing her. "It's a state only a few kung fu masters reach," he told her further, making Emma frown by his words;

"But what does that have to do with me? I'm not a kung fu master," Emma wondered out loud, crossing her arms.

"Not yet," the elder man noted, and bent down to pick up his staff, and turned around smiling to himself as though he couldn't see it, he knew that the younger woman behind him looked at him with even more confusion and doubt.

* * *

Chinese Village, Storybrooke, same day and time:

"We're a little behind in our plans since I never got to read the book probably, and since the Savior doesn't want to help us, we might be even more late in our plans," Mei stated, sighing as she stood in front of a small group of three teenagers of her own age, and her little sister, Chin along with two other smaller kids. They had gathered together in her family's basement, unknown to her mother and father, and apparently, her grandfather as well.

"But you promised she would help!" Fai of the younger boys yelled at Mei, making her cringe. "I'm sorry, but she refused right away when I asked her back then," she apologized honestly.

"It's okay, Mei, it's not your fault that she will not cooperate, and you told us about the night you had to return the book to Mr. Gold, and to me it sounds like you have suffered more of the consequences than any of us have," Nuan, a girl at her own age, and one of her best friends told her while laying a supporting hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you, Nuan," Mei gratefully smiled at her, and bit at her cheek as she gaze upon the rest of the group.

"But I want to go home!" The young boy cried out, clearly not seeing her point, and the other smaller kids went along as well, and soon the room was filled with their desperate cries, and Mei had to stomp with her foot in order to get some silence;

"I know! I know!" She yelled out in the room, and sighed again when the kids went silent, immediately and looked at her, slightly frightened.

"We will figure something out, but as of right now, I don't know what to do," Mei sighed out, and leaned against the wall.

"Well," one of the teenage boys, Zan began slowly as he took out a folded paper from his pocket in his jacket.

"Zan, what's that?" Nuan asked confused as Zan and another boy, Bo, gazed unsurely at each other.

"You see, since Mei was forced to return the book to Mr. Gold, Bo and I came up with a plan, and yesterday, we succeeded," Zan introduced them and began folding out the page;

"We went into the shop, and I got him distracted enough for Jian to go in and find the book, but instead of stealing it," Zan paused and laid the unfolded page on the table in the middle of the room;

"He got the page instead."

"Wow! Guys, are you serious?" Mei asked shocked and amazed at the same time as she almost jumped towards the table in eager to read the page. Those two would have been the last ones she would have thought making out a plan like that, but apparently she had been wrong doubting them. On the other hand, they were children of members of the Furious Five.

"We are indeed, and I read it yesterday, and Mei, we're lucky, for this, we do need the Savior, but not in the way it was originally intended," Zan explained and pointed at the text, listing up the ingredients.

Reading closely for herself, Mei's eyes widened in surprise. Apparently she had overseen this part when she had the book before;

 _"Originally only the Savior having found inner peace can make it sing, but when activating the duplicated Nightingale, a family member of the Savior can be used instead."_

"But I'm afraid that also means that we have to get Henry and Violet in this as well," Mei stated, and stood back sighing deeply knowing that she had ignored both of them after the confrontation at the station.

"But Violet is in the math group, isn't she?" Nuan asked quietly and got a little concerned for her friend when Mei closed her eyes tightly.

"She is, but I messed up badly, Nuan, and I don't think she wants to talk to me, and I haven't been able to look her in the eyes ever since that day at the station," Mei stated frustrated knowing that she had used Violet's trust only to let her down.

"What about Henry then, it's him we're going to need after all?" Zan asked. All of them knew the author as they would often go to him to hear stories from him when they first came was settling down.

"He's Violet's boyfriend, and if she doesn't want to talk to me, I doubt that he would," Mei told them, and bowed her head slightly in shame. If she hadn't messed up that badly this could have been way easier.

"I could give it a try," Nuan suggested seemingly without thinking twice.

"You sure? I don't want to sound bossy or rude, but if this goes wrong again, this plan will fail completely," Mei asked her friend, and stated what for her was the obvious.

"I know, but maybe this time if we're honest in what we're doing, maybe they would help after all?" Nuan shrugged but held the seriousness in her tone. "You told us you informed the Savior's family when you were at the station with your parents that day, right?"

"Right, but I didn't fill them in that much. I only told them that I needed Emma's help and wanted to explain further back then, but she refused before I even got the chance to explain," Mei answered cringing slightly at the memory.

"Okay then, I'll suggest a new plan then," Zan broke in, "since I also have a part of the guilt as I was the one to attack the Savior when we tried to find Geppetto's toolbox, I think we all owe you to take more on our shoulders this time around," he stated and cleared his throat;

"And since this is about getting us all home and free our families, we need to work together, what do you say?" Jian asked out in the small group and they all nodded, even the smaller ones.

"Okay, so here's the plan."

* * *

The Secret Place, Storybrooke Forest, same time, same day:

It was as if the world stood still after what Wugui had told her;

"Not yet? What do you mean by 'not yet'?" Emma finally collected herself to ask as she eyed the elder man in front of her who now stood with his back facing her, doing some what seemed to her like some weird stretches.

"I meant what I meant. You're going to master the highest level of kung fu and finding your own style in fighting," Wugui explained calmly, and finally stopped his movements to turn towards her.

Not being able to comprehend what the man had just told her, Emma just shook her head with mouth opened in disbelief;

"But, but I can't, I mean, and even if I wanted to, I can't, not now, not when I'm," Emma paused, and held one hand to her stomach that now made a small bump, and Wugui smiled along when he got what she meant.

"That's not a hindering," Wugui stated as he went to sit back down on the stone bench and watched the conflicted woman in front of him. "Kung fu is not just about fighting. That's just a small part of it; kung fu is about reaching your innerself, to create harmony and focus within yourself, and truly discover who you are. It's about becoming one with Mother Nature and your own spirit. I should know, since I created it," the elder man whispered and winked at Emma who's eyes now grew even wider;

"You created kung fu?" She asked the elderly man shocked. "I did indeed; a thousand years ago to be exact," Wugui told her in matter of factly and took his staff, and reached out towards the pond which had stilled again. Lightly he circled the staff above the water. A few petals, which had landed on the water, flew up and soon a swirl was created in the water.

Emma looked intensely at the water as the swirl died down, and now an image was shown in the water.

The image showed what Emma could tell was a younger version of Wugui sitting on a rock.

"It was one thousand years ago," Wugui began and closed his eyes;

"I had just settled down in my home, the Valley of Peace, and one day, I was walking amongst the bamboo forest on a journey of discovery. At the top of a lonely peak, I discovered a pool. I was so moved by the beauty of nature and the plight of the oppressed. I stared at my own reflection and wept into the pool, and I meditated for a thousand days until I felt the universe in motion around me. I could hear a butterfly's wingbeat. I could see light in the darkest cave. By focusing on the mysteries of the natural world, I achieved harmony and focus. This insight formed the basis of a self-defense system that I named: kung fu."

While Wugui was speaking, the images in the water showed what he was telling, and Emma could only watch in awe of both the story she was being told, and the presentation in the water.

"The water here is from that very pool back at my home. It's called the Pool of Sacred Tears, and it has many functions, and so has this little wonder here," he explained as he removed the staff, and the image disappeared, and the water went still again.

"I have had several of students who have become teachers and masters themselves. One even reached above those, and you could do the same," he told the younger woman who still hadn't said a word, but looked at him with an expression that told him that she indeed was listening but conflicted in what to do or say.

"I promise you. This will not hurt your unborn child, nor will it give you any physical problems, in fact, I have seen expecting warriors becoming even more at peace with their bodies and in less struggle and pain," he told her honestly, "so, Emma, what do you say?"

Sinking a huge lump, Emma closed her eyes and thought deeply, and then felt a weird sense inside of herself. She did have magic to defend herself, but what about when she was either hindered or at a place where her magic didn't work? How could she defend her family and loved ones? She could fight yes, but would that be enough?

The more she thought about the more sparks she felt inside.

Opening her eyes in one swift movement she looked at the elderly man in front of him firmly and only nodded.

The nod was the only response Wugui needed as he could see the decision in her eyes.

"Great, go home, and get some rest. We'll start tomorrow by dawn," he told her and just like that, the elderly man got up and disappeared in what normally would be a cloud of smoke, but for him thousands of thousands of pink petals.

Being left on her own, Emma was now alone with her own thoughts. Kung fu. She was going to learn kung fu? And not just by anyone, but by the very creator of it. A man who had lived a thousand years.

Gazing towards the pond she slowly went to it and stared down at her own reflection, considering her options. Wugui had told her to keep this place a secret, but no to keep the fact that she was going to be taught kung fu by him. Maybe she should keep this as well? But then again, she already had the dreams which she neither had told Killian, or anyone else about.

Slowly she sat down onto her knees, but kept her eyes at the water.

 _"Kung fu is not just about fighting. It's just a small part of it. Kung fu is about reaching your innerself, to create harmony and focus within yourself, and truly discover who you are. It's about becoming one with Mother Nature and your own spirit._

"But I know who I am," Emma stated to herself, but she felt a nag in guts when she said it out loud. Come on, she knew who she was, didn't she? She had concluded that in her fight with Gideon not that long ago. She was the Savior, she was the light. Shaking her head, Emma gathered herself and stood up again and closed her eyes, imagining her and Killian's house and soon she was gone in her cloud of white smoke.

* * *

At the station, Monday Night.

It had been a small hour earlier that Emma had returned home, and had instantly been hit by the atmosphere of laughter, beer, and poker when entering their house. Apparently a small poker-tournament between Killian, her father, and Robin had been arranged earlier, and was now reaching the late hours of the night.

Though she was tired and knew that if she had asked them, either Killian or her father had instantly taken the night shift for her, she actually wanted some time alone, and a Monday night at the station was perfect as nothing usually happened during the start of the week. It would usually be in the weekends where the bar fights would occur.

Yawning loudly as there were no one to comment about it, Emma leaned backwards in her chair in the closed off office and felt her eyelids go heavy. The responsible as a the sheriff for the night seemed to go lower and lower on the priority list, and Emma regretted for that she hadn't let the dwarfs take over though she hated the thought at the same time.

This day had certainly worn her out, and it would begin early as her training with Wugui would begin. She had considered backing down, especially now when she was sitting here in the dark office by herself with her thoughts. Who would ever consider her as a kung fu master? Yes, she was known as the Savior here, and also as a woman who could fight back, but going from that to high-advanced martial arts had never ever crossed her mind, and she had a really hard time seeing herself in that role.

Question after question about all of this raced through her mind, and Emma had considered to go back to the secret place to see if Wugui was there and demand some answers, but at the same time, she was becoming more and more weary, and she considered on crashing down on one of the beds in one of the hold cells, but those were so damn uncomfortable that it made her chair a better place to take a short nap. Just a short nap.

The digital clock showing 02:45 with its red numbers was the last thing she saw before her eyelids grew too heavy and she slowly succumbed.

 _Once again Emma stood on the top of the peak of the hill like in the dream before. The peach tree behind her was glooming with pink petals just like the one at the secret place, and the valley was shrouded in clouds gliding over the mountains that surrounded the area._

 _The place was so beautiful and calming. It was like every sense of stress and worry was gone, and for a moment she just sat down on a stone bench, which she noticed was similar to the one back in Storybrooke._

 _"Dragon Warrior, listen," a voice suddenly came. It was the same voice that spoke to her in the last dreams, and now it finally hit her._

 _"Wugui," she whispered, and for the first time during these dreams, a familiar face appeared before her in a swirl of pink petals. With his green cloak and staff in hand, the man slowly went to her._

 _"Indeed, young one, but I do not go by that name here," he told her and sat down beside her._

 _"Here, I'm Master Oogway," he told her, and just like all the other times when being around this man, Emma found herself unable to say or do anything but nod._

 _"Come with me, Emma, I want to show you something," and with that he jumped off the bench and slowly went away._

 _Before Emma could ask any questions, the scenery before her changed and for a moment, she feared that she would end up by the palace like last time, but she was surprised when she was now standing on a green area, surrounded by mist and cliffs. Talking a few steps forward, Emma nearly fell over when she reached an edge._

 _"Careful young warrior, we don't want you to get soaked and cold," Wugui, no, Oogway grinned at her lightly as he appeared beside her._

 _Looking down, Emma could see water through the mist, and her eyes widened slightly when she remembered their early conversation._

 _"You are right, Emma, this is the place. Better known as; The Sacred Pool of Tears, the very birthplace of kung fu."_

 _A vision suddenly flashed before her, and it was like an out-of-body experience where she saw the place from above. The lake and land was shaped together, creating the yin-yan symbol, and when she 'came back', she looked up to see Oogway standing on a cliff high above from where she was standing._

 _"Listen, Emma, in this land your role as the Savior is also known as the Dragon Warrior, and right now, I need your help as you are the only one who can.."_

 _RING! RING! RING!_

RING! RING! RING!

The sound of the station's phone rang through and jerked Emma awake. She glanced at the clock, and saw it was reading; 4:50. 'Oh shit.'

Quickly shrugging off that her 'short' nap had turned into two hours, Emma quickly got the phone before it rang out;

"Sheriff Emma Swan," she spoke into the phone, and had to fight against either shoot a rude answer back, or slam the phone down when the voice of a clearly drunk Leroy came through;

"Why is not the Granny open?" Came the slurred question from the angry dwarf.

"Because it's almost five in the morning, and Granny's open at 9, " and with that she hung up, and ignored the phone when it began ringing again though she knew that this could be from someone actually needing help, but she had a feeling that this was just Leroy wanting to discuss things further, and she didn't have the energy for that.

Damn idiot. He interrupted her in that dream, and now when she knew that Wugui, as he was called here, was involved she wanted to talk to him even more now.

Glancing at the clock it was 5:04 now, and as she stood up to stretch, she went out of the office and by the windows to glance outside. It was summertime which meant the sun would rise earlier, and already now she could sense the light out in the horizon.

Wugui never told her an exact time, but just said they would meet at dawn, and Emma decided it was as close if not dawn already, and quickly grabbed her long black fabric jacket as the air was still cold despite it being summer.

* * *

The Secret Place, Storybrooke Forest, Tuesday morning:

"I sensed you were on your way," the now familiar voice of Wugui was heard when she had teleported herself to the area and now stood by the same spot she had left yesterday.

"Should I call you Wugui, or Oogway here?" She asked him finding the 'courage' to mention the dream already as she wanted to know how much of that he knew.

"Oh yeah, we were cut off back then," he stated, confirming his knowledge.

"So you know about the dreams that I've had? On the other hand, I don't even know if they are dreams, more like visions," Emma wondered out loud, and gazed towards the man sitting on the bench behind her.

"Yes, I do. You can say that we have both been having the same dreams for a time now. Mine started off with just your voice, and soon you became more and more clear, and I saw you in the crowd of people, and now that I have reached you here, I can finally guide you more, and what you saw in the last dream was a glimpse of that, but I see that you was not resting the way I advised you to do," he told her, and raised one eyebrow at her by the last part.

"I know, but I'm also needed to protect this town, and that sometimes requires me being up at night," she told the elder man, wondering where the growing courage of actually speaking more to him came from.

"I see, I see," he nodded and stood up and went to the edge of the pond.

"Today we will start off by introducing you to meditating," he announced and sat down, crossing his leg, and with his hand, he motioned for Emma to do the same.

Slowly Emma sat down on the ground, and decided just to follow the instructions she would get.

"For some, meditating can be seen as 'just' someone sitting with his legs crossed and eyes closed, but meditating is the first steps to master kung fu, and inner peace as the final result. Now, try to do as me; take a deep breath in and breathe out," he instructed, and Emma did as told.

"Good, good," he nodded at her as he could feel her relaxing more and more by each deep breathe.

"Now close your eyes and try to just lock out all sounds around you."

Easier said than done. Emma tried to do as she was told, but as she tried to block out the sounds around her it seemed like the otherwise quiet place became louder and louder. The wind in the trees surrounding the area seemed like an orkan, and soon it was her own breathing that was too loud in her head.

Shaking her head violently trying to block out the sounds, Emma grunted in frustration and opened her eyes, "I can't," she concluded and opened her eyes looking into the elder man's.

"I see. You have too much going on in here," he told her and pointed at her head, "I know this isn't easy, but you have to let go of these thoughts of yours," he advised her, and stood up.

"I think this is enough for today," he announced her, making Emma raise her eyebrows in surprise. "But we have only been here in a few minutes, I thought we were going to be here for longer," she wondered standing up again.

"We will, Emma, but you need the proper teaching for this. What I'm going to teach you within weeks, and months has taken centuries for me, and countless of kung fu warriors for hundreds of years, and those have never even reached the point you are going to," he told her honestly.

"I want you to go home, and get some that weight off your shoulders. I know you haven't told your close ones about the dreams, and I will highly advise that you do," he continued. "Practice on meditating for this week. It can be minutes, it can be hours, and it can be done either here, or another place where you can find the peace need for it that is all up to you, and after that, I will let you fully in on what's going on. By the way, Wugui works better here for now, " he finished and before she could say or do anything, the man was gone in a swirl of pink petals, leaving a now even more confused Emma behind.

* * *

At Emma's and Killian's, later Tuesday morning.

Standing at their porch, Emma had to collect herself from the dizziness that had hit her after the transportation, which she weirdly enough hadn't experienced when going into the secret place.

Opening the door she was instantly met by Killian who surprisingly was quite busy in cleaning up after last nights 'party.'

"There you are, love," Killian greeted her and went to give her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek; "your father called me, a little worried as you had already left, but I see that I can call back, and assure him that everything is alright," he smiled at her, but frowned when she didn't respond, but seemed to be off in her own world. "Right, love?" He added on, finally getting her attention as she shook her head quickly and looked at him with slightly wide eyes. "Emma, are you alright?" He asked her slightly worried.

Nodding, Emma smiled briefly at him, "I'm fine, I'm fine, just a little tired from yesterday that's all," she responded, and took a deep breathe, and thought about leaving it there, but no. She couldn't do this any longer, and they had promised each other not to keep anything from one another, and now that the dreams were confirmed to be quite important for the next thing to happen in Storybrooke, he deserved to know about the dreams at least.

"I need to tell you something," she started, and soon realized she had sounded way too serious as Killian's eyes now were filled with worry as he glanced down at her stomach, "oh no, honey, there's nothing wrong about our baby," she assured him laying a hand on his arm.

Killian could feel himself relaxing more by knowing it wasn't about their child, but at the same time he could feel that Emma was about to confess something, and while he could feel the annoyance of her, once again, holding back something, he also knew that he had to show her that she could come to him with anything, and he would support her no matter what. Well, unless she was about to tell him that she would head off alongside with Black Beard, and never return, she could be safe in telling him anything.

"I've been having these dreams lately," she began, and slowly she sat down on a chair by the dining table and began filling him in on the dreams and lightly on the whole thing about Wugui. She didn't say anything about the secret place, but told him about his plans of teaching her kung fu;

"But what about you and being pregnant?" He wondered out loud when she had finished, and now looked at him unsurely of what he would say next.

"Well, he...he assured me that it wouldn't harm the baby. Actually he said it would help," she answered a little surprised that this was his only question.

Nodding along while staring out in space, and then, a smiled crept along;

"That sounds bloody awesome, Swan."

* * *

 **Sorry if I have been a little slow with this, but if you haven't already seen, I have posted another fic this week, and while it's quite sad, I hope you'll click by and give it a check :)**

 **Tomorrow I will go on another trip, this time to Italy, and sadly I will not be able to write anything.**

 **So, Emma Swan as a kung fu warrior - hot or not? I have actually researched a lot about kung fu and martial arts, and you know what? In the world of karate, there is actually a White Swan technique, (which is quite similar to the Crane technique), and while it's not kung fu, I will be creative and throw that in ;)**

 **Also, we have the reveal of Emma's secrets. I was considering whether to make it a big reveal or not, and I thought that maybe that drama was sorted out in season 6 and while I think they would still keep secrets from each other, I also think that they, or at least in Killian's case actually accepts it and while I also considered having her revealing the dreams but not the training parts I thought it would create unnecessary drama between the two and that conflict (you know, worrying about her well-being when learning to fight like that,) would fit more on Snow and Charming (and we will get some there ;)).**

 **Once again, I will thank people for both following, favoriting (is that even a word?), and reviewing - it means so much to me that people are still following along on this, and while I have seen people drop off (which is absolutely okay) I'm still so relieved that there are actually people reading this with my poor writing skills.**

 **Another thing - Emma being pregnant is now canon! Yay! :D. A reader on wattpad asked me privately if this was my suggestion on a season 7, and now that Emma is actually pregnant in the series (though she's 'gone' now, bye Emma), you could say: sort of :). While I never meant it to be a season 7 suggestion I can also see why people would think that, so I would say; that's up to you, it works with me either way :)**

 **Nothing else to say than I hope people will still follow along on this :)**

 **Flaxen.**

 **Oh, wait, 2 things actually:**

 **1: I actually want to name the chapters instead of just the weeks, but I'm so bad at thinking of some that would fit the chapters so if anyone have any suggestions on that matter, please write suggestions in a private message :)**

 **2: Remember the 'soundtrack' I gave you at the end of act 1? Well that'll be expanded now:**

 **Most of the Kung Fu Panda soundtracks works with this story - all three soundtracks (they're amazing so listen to them anyway) and also the instrumental called "Xian" by Antti Martikainen is a good one listening to while reading this - especially when we'll go even deeper with kung fu and the crisis from the Valley of Peace.**


	16. Inner Peace

**Inner Peace**

 **Week 15: July:**

 **The body:** _Your energy may have returned but that doesn't mean you should be hitting on working too hard on your cases, Savior. With a baby growing inside you, sleep is one thing that you can't go without. If your growing belly is getting in the way of a good night's sleep, surround yourself with pillows to make it extra-comfy. Sometimes room temperature can affect sleep, so make sure it's neither too cold or too warm, especially be aware of the later when entering July month. You'll probably also start to experience round ligament pains - sharp pain felt in the stomach, hip, and genital area that can be extremely painful and uncomfortable._

 **The baby:** _Since you have been pregnant before, this will be the time where you will start to feel the baby moving. For women who are pregnant for the first time, it will take some weeks before they can feel it. Your baby's head is now resting on its well-formed neck instead of directly on the shoulders. The eyebrows and eyelashes are growing this week, and the hair on the head also starts to grow. Although the eyes are sealed shut, the baby is now able to sense light. The eyes and ears are finally looking like real baby features now. Your baby may have developed the habit of sucking thumb, and even swallowing the amniotic fluid. The fluid which is swallowed is digested by the developing digestive tract and is passed through the system. The skin is very thin, and you can see the blood vessels clearly underneath. Your baby's bones are getting harder and harder everyday, and are now retaining calcium. In fact, if an x-ray were taken at this time your baby's skeleton would be visible now. Over the next month, baby will grow faster than ever. Your baby now measures nearly 4 inches, about the size of a small apple, and weighs almost 2 ounces._

* * *

Valley of Peace, China

"Master Oogway, I need your help".

It was yet another beautiful sunset over the valley as the old master stood by his tree, doing his tai-chi. For the older kung fu creator, it wasn't that uncommon for one of his students to join him, but even before the young Dragon Warrior had asked the question, Oogway could feel the warrior's worried soul from the moment he had made his appearance behind him.

Only nodding as an approval to continue, Oogway continued doing his movements.

"The visions are still there," Po told his older master, which made the old man stop in his movements and slowly turn around, finally facing Po.

"The ones with your parents?"

"No, those disappeared when I reached inner peace. My past and where I came from has always been a great mystery for me, no, the visions that keeps hunting me are those with the peacock."

At that, Master Oogway's expression frowned. "Tell me more, please," he asked the younger man and motioned for Po to sit down on the stonebench beneath the peach tree with him.

"Just from the beginning," Oogway spoke further as he sat down with Po joining him slightly after.

"Well, it's a motion of flashes. I keep seeing this grey peacock cloaked in grey silk. Its tail feathers is featuring this weird symbol of a red, burning sun and then I see a shadow covering our valley and village with the peacock's screaming in the background, and then -." Po stopped mid sentence as he gazed upwards to the branch where the Nightingale was sitting singing out its song, the sound echoing in the valley, creating the soothing peace over the village and its people.

"I hear him shriek," Po stated, and looked back at Oogway. "I hear him shriek, and then the vision would stop and I would get this weird pain in my head," the Dragon Warrior added and touched the area by his chest.

"It's without a doubt a vision of the future, young warrior," Oogway stated, looking at Po with a very serious expression.

"I've figured out as much," Po nodded and looked out at the valley, "but it's still so unclear," he sighed letting his shoulders slump at the knowledge of trouble heading towards his home.

"That's often how the future looks, my friend, " Oogway stated and stood up, leaning on his wooden staff. "However, as I said, your visions are without doubt a warning about future events to come. One thing I've learned is that taking the road to avoid future events would often lead to said destiny."

"So we should just let it happen?" Po questioned unsure, not that he didn't trust the greatest kung fu master of all time, but was that really what Oogway suggested? To just let it happen?

"I didn't say that, but we can't stop what's to come, the spirits will guide you when time comes, I'm sure of that," the elder warrior had spoken after thinking for some time.

"But I cannot let my family and our people in danger, Master, we have to prepare for what's to come," Po protested, frowning at the old master.

"I wasn't speaking of not preparing, I talked about taking the road to avoid it, my friend, but be careful as those two can go hand in hand before you know it," Oogway warned and began doing his tai-chi again, leaving the slightly confused Dragon Warrior sitting on the bench behind him.

Standing up, Po glanced back up at the Nightingale. Whatever was going to happen in the future would involve the tiny bird.

"No matter what, I will protect our village and our people," he whispered to himself as he turned around and went away.

However, his whisper had reached Oogway's ears, making the elder master smile to himself. "That's the spirit, my friend."

At home, Po had long ago intervened his wife, Tigress in what was going on, and she had been the one pushing him to seek Master Oogway for help.

Ever since the arrival of the Nightingale, the toughest of the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior had fallen in love despite them hating each other when they met for the first time. Tigress had despised the fat and clumsy boy who had literally fallen from the sky and landed in front of her when Oogway was about to point out her as the Dragon Warrior, but after the defeat of Tai Lung, she had gained more respect for him, and slowly, they had fallen in love and married shortly after.

Together they had one son, and with only having to deal with a small robbery from time to time, both warriors had the time to raise their son, and slowly introducing him to the very early steps of kung fu.

The rest of the Furious Five had also founded their own families with husbands and wifes, and with kids as well.

Despite Po's vision, the valley lived fully up to it's name, but that was until _that_ letter from Gongmen City arrived...

* * *

Chinese Village, Storybrooke:

In one of the other small Chinese designed houses a older grey-haired man in an orange-brown robe sat in the small living room, cross legged on a small mat and surrounded by lightened candles.

Breathing deeply in and out with his eyes closed, he tried to reach for his inner self, but it was hard. While there was nothing wrong with the house or the whole of Storybrooke itself, he could not seem to reach that inner calmness as he could before...

Opening his eyes he glanced up at the ceiling. No it was neither the house or the town that plagued him, but his inner guilt which he could not let go of.

Another sigh caught his attention and he glanced back to his right side where a younger woman sat, she as well was failing in reaching inner peace, and yet again, he knew the reason why.

"I'm giving up," the woman concluded and laid her hand firmly on her knee to get. Standing up, she corrected the black tank top she was wearing while stretching her legs in the baggy black jeans. Her orange black hair was collected in a bun, and with one pull she released it from the hairpin that kept it together.

"Laohu, please," the older man begged, but sighed deeply, it was not as if he was more motivated for continuing, but in order to keep at least themselves together, he had ushered one of his best students to keep on trying to meditate and focus.

"What's the point anyway?" Laohu sighed and turned around before going into the small bathroom down by the hallway leaving the man sitting in silence.

He got up as well and decided to make some tea, but was interrupted when the front door opened.

"Hong, my friend, are you in here?"

The voice of his best and oldest friend could never be mistaken and by the tone of it, the man already knew that 'the old turtle' had news;

"She agreed," Wugui announced as he slowly reached the kitchen where his old friend, Hong was setting water over to boil.

At the same time, the younger woman, Laohu emerged from the bathroom. Wugui and Laohu only nodded at each other as greetings, before Wugui continued; "the Dragon Warrior has agreed," he told them once again.

Deeply sighing, Hong placed the tray with cups on the kitchen counter; "Master, you know I deeply respect you and have followed your guidance for years, but I have to respectfully draw the line here," he answered and turned around to face his old master and teacher who frowned back at him.

Hong cleared his throat before continuing; "I'm sorry, Wugui, but I can not watch again as another family gets..." He paused as he looked towards Laohu who was clutching her fists tightly to her side, but showed no other reaction. "Gets ripped apart like that," he finished and looked at Wugui who seemed be quite taken aback, but before he could respond, a female voice interrupted;

"What have you told her, Wugui?" Laohu asked him firmly, her eyes glaring daggers at him.

"That for now she just needs to reach inner peace, and then I will..." Wugui began, but was interrupted by Laohu angrily slamming her fist onto the counter. "I knew it!"

"Laohu, my friend calm down," Wugui tried, but with no luck.

"I can not believe you!" She almost roared at him, but somehow managed to contain her anger. "First of all, we all know that inner peace is not something you 'just' reach, we all know how hard it is, and what it tolls it takes on you, second, you know that..." Laohu took a deep breathe as she gathered herself, her eyes glistening; "you know that it's not at all a guarantee on coming out victorious, especially not when _he_ has become more powerful than he ever was now when..."

Laohu stopped again and took yet another breathe.

"I have to agree with Laohu here, Wugui," Hong broke in as he watched the bubbles in the water which was soon at the boiling point.

"Po at least knew what he was going into," he stated, eying Laohu who sniffed annoyingly and furiously wiped her eyes rapidly. "I know that we need the Dragon Warrior to get back home and reclaim our land and to get back the Nightingale to sing again, but I will not watch yet another young soul's future being brutally ripped from her and her family."

"But it's her destiny to do so," Wugui responded, "this is not only for us, but for her as well," he told them and watched as Laohu fought to control her breathing as her anger to boil as much inside as the water just did.

"Besides, it was never Po's destiny to..." "Dont. You. DARE!" Laohu roared this time, once again slamming her fist onto the counter, this time almost breaking the wooden furniture. Tears were now streaming her face; "Don't you dare, Wugui," she repeated, this time more in a whisper as she felt herself slumber, the previous action had taken more of her energy than she expected, but on the other hand, she hadn't been training in months, and an action like that without the proper preparation was doomed to make her tired, especially when being this emotional as well.

"I'm sorry, I can't," she whispered, and before any of the two men could react, she hurried out of the kitchen and head upstairs to the second floor, both of them hearing the faint slamming of the door to her room.

"Wugui, I can not stop you in training the Dragon Warrior if that's what you are planning on, but I will ask you to consider in filling her more in on what is going on," Hong spoke as he filled the cups with the warm water. "You see the consequences here," he spoke nodding upwards, "do ask yourself if you really want to risk the same of the Dragon Warrior's family..."

"As I said, it's her destiny to do so," Wugui calmly answered as if the outburst from Laohu hadn't reached him at all, "I will tell her all about when the time is right, but now you have to trust in me, old friend," the older man almost pleaded Hong who only shook his head slowly while he sifted the matcha powder into the cups and steered it.

"I have always had great faith in you, Wugui, even though you have tried me out more than once," Hong smiled slightly as he thought back, but it dropped when his memories also reminded him of _him._ Shaking his head slowly once again, Hong shook the spoon he had used and laid it beside the tray.

"The Dragon Warrior's family here are good people, so is she, and while I do remember what the Soothsayer told us back then, you do know that we all thought she was talking about someone else," Hong spoke as he handed the cup for Wugui that originally was planned for Laohu.

"You must not mistake my actions or what I said as that I deny the importance that Po had on our land or in his fight, and I do take the responsibility of having mistaken the words that the Soothsayer spoke to us, and I'm doing so by training the right soul for the job this time around," Wugui answered calmly and blew lightly at the tea.

"I promise, old friend that if there are any signs of her not being the right one anyway, she will be taken off the training immediately. While I can understand that it seems like that I don't care about what happened, I do, but that doesn't mean that I will stop in fighting in getting my land back," Wugui finished more firmly in his tone.

Hong nodded along while sipping his tea. "Very well," he sighed, and looked into the eyes of Wugui, "very well."

* * *

Sheriff's station, Storybrooke:

David would never admit that he was slowly dozing off at his desk, but after having taken the night shift, and now waiting for his son-in-law to come and take over, he surely could feel the tiredness weighing upon him, but that all flew away when a book suddenly landed right in front of him.

 _"Duplication of Magical Objects, and Beings"_

Raising his eyebrows in surprise, he looked up to see none other than the Dark One himself.

"Mr. Gold," David stated, folding his hands and gazed down at the book in front of him. "How can I help..." "It appears that I've been robbed yet again," Rumble interrupted.

"Those kids may have thought that they outsmarted me, but no one outsmarts me, at least not in that low level," the Dark One continued, leaving David to blink rapidly as he tried to conceive the information as fast as he could.

"Hold on, Gold, what do you mean?" David asked holding his hand up for the older man to take it more slowly.

"What I mean is that," Rumple began and opened the book to reveal the page that had been ripped off, "apparently your little friend from the nights before didn't learned her lesson, because she had the guts to let her small minions tricking me, and stealing a page from the book that they stole."

Shocked by this, David took a closer look. There was no doubt that a page had been ripped off, but about what, he didn't know. The only thing Mei had led on to was that she needed help from Emma to save her homeland, but nothing else.

"None the less, I let them go, hoping they would come to the right conclusion in returning it, but as you may have guessed, they didn't. I could of course have dealt with them myself, but as you know, I'm trying to be better and all that," Rumple continued on further as he slowly paced back and forth in front of the Savior's father.

"Erh...erm...Alright, why don't you let me in on what happened?" David suggested and gestured for Mr. Gold to sit down which the older man denied silently by shaking his head. "There's no need for that, what matters is that I've been patient enough, but now, I want those kids caught, and this time not letting them go so easily."

"Now hold on, Rumble, I understand that you are frustrated, and so am I as I hoped that we have gotten a message through back then, but we're not going to punish children," he stated in an authoritarian tone that was not be interfered with, making even the Dark One stopping up and eye the man. Indeed he was the leader of the this town, despite his daughter having won the election back then.

The sound of the front door of the station opening made both men turn their attention to see both Snow and Killian walking in;

"Hello there, mate," Killian greeted, but stopped as both him and Snow seemed to notice that David wasn't alone.

"Mr. Gold, what are you doing here?" Snow asked after having greeted her husband with quick kiss on his cheek.

"Reporting yet another crime caused by those incredibly badly raised kids who seem to take robbing my shop as their highest priority," Rumple answered making both Killian and Snow raise their eyebrows in the same way David had done moments ago.

"That girl David had returning my book here weeks ago apparently decided that she wasn't quite finished with it yet, and decided to let her friends do the dirty work and trick me while they got the page they needed," Rumple explained further and showed the two newcomers the book where a page had been ripped off.

Killian couldn't help but chuckle lightly, "so you really got bested by two kids? Bloody hell, those lads are...Auch!" A rather hard nudge from Snow's elbow forced him to stop med sentence.

Breathing heavily to control his temper, Rumple only glared at Killian before him. "I did not get bested," he stated through gritted teeth. "I'm the Dark One, of course I knew what was going on, I just chose not to turn them into insects at the spot, I guess a little acknowledge for that would be in its place," he smirked at the last part, almost reaching his high pitched tone from their time in the Enchanted Forest.

"If you say so, mate," Killian once again teased, but hissed again when got yet another jag in his side by his mother-in-law.

"Mr. Gold, I promise you that I'll get out and contact Mei once again to get an explanation," David stated as he stood up, and grabbed his jacket which hang on the chair he was sitting on.

"Very well, let's just hope that whatever they are planning here is not going to hit them too hard," Rumble commented before he reached for his book, closing it and headed out of the building.

"So here we are again," David sighed as he zipped his jacket.

"I don't understand what do they want, and why can't they just ask us for help?" Snow wondered out loud crossing her arms.

"Well, considering how it went last time, they're probably not that willing in talking to us," Killian answered taking David's seat.

"Maybe I should try talking to her, I mean, I could always use the teacher excuse," Snow suggested gazing at both men, and they both looked at each other and nodded at her afterwards; "I think that's a great idea, Snow, you have a way of getting into people, maybe she will open more up to you," David acknowledged his wife and she smiled gratefully back at him.

"What about Emma?" Killian asked them both frowning. While they all clearly remembered the results the last time they didn't include her in this, they were also worried about adding stress while in her 'condition'.

"She and everybody else will be informed as well. Whatever those kids are doing, we need to have everyone on guard," David answered and both wife and son-in-law nodded in agreement.

"Alright, let's get going then, I'll message Emma," David announced and took out his phone to message his daughter.

* * *

The Secret Place, Storybrooke Forest, next day:

For the past days, Emma had been sitting here, cross-legged, eyes closed by the small pound, underneath the peach tree, trying to mediate as instructed by Wugui.

This morning was no difference. She had woken up by 5:00 a.m like she had done every morning, and had listed out, avoiding waking Killian and poofed out here.

Taking deep breaths, Emma still kept her eyes closed and tried to focus. For the past few days she had discovered by focusing on her breathing she was more able to ignore distractions around her, but at the same time, she felt like she hadn't been given proper instructions on how to do this.

She had shared her frustrations with Killian to her own surprise, and she remembered how he had looked deep in thought before suggesting that perhaps Wugui had purposely held that information back in order for her to find it herself.

Snapping out of her small trance as she looked at her reflection in the water. Looking around she took in this quite amazing place Wugui apparently had created; the orange colored air, the pink leafs from the peach tree, the pond so still it reflected the area without any disturbances.

Closing her eyes again, Emma tried once again to find that place within herself that she could somewhat feel was opening more and more. Perhaps Killian had been right, maybe she should figure this out on her own and the realization of that would open up that place. She chuckled lightly to herself; who knew that it would be her pirate who would make her realise that? On the other hand, he had helped her through so much she couldn't even count the times that he had stood by her side when things were really though.

 _"Remember who you are, Swan."_

As her eyes were closed, Emma didn't notice that the stillness of the water was disturbed ever so slightly. Golden streak lights began shining through, but as Emma opened her eyes yet again, they disappeared again.

Looking at her own reflection in the water, Emma sighed deeply; she wasn't stupid. She knew that it wasn't a coincidence or a friendly help in becoming better in physical fight that Wugui or Oogway had come to help her. Yet again, something big was coming up, and had the circumstances been different, she would more than likely have jumped at the challenge of helping him and his people, but now...

Caressing her stomach which was now beginning to grow, Emma bit her inner cheek; now was different. She couldn't take the same risks as before, not when she had a child inside to protect, and she couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of her being trained in kung fu. "I mean, come on, you're going to be in the way in there, you know that?" She spoke to her stomach.

Standing up, Emma decided for it to be enough for today, and brushed her jeans off of the leaves that had attached themselves to the fabric. A sudden pain in her stomach area made her double over and go down in one knee. Oh, she remembered Dr. Whale having warned her about these. She couldn't remember what he had called them, but they were supposedly normal. Gritting her teeth, she waited for the pain to wash over.

"Dragon Warrior, are you alright?"

The voice of Wugui made her look up and behind her as the older man slowly neared her with his staff in hand, and with a slightly worried expression.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she hissed, not taking any note of the new title, and took some deeper breaths as she felt the pain disappearing. "Just another 'glorious' side effect that comes when expecting," she smirked lightly at him, wanting to show that there was nothing to worry about.

"Ah, I see," he nodded and went to sit down on his knees beside her.

The silence that fell between them became quite awkward as it seemed to Emma that Wugui wanted to say something but wasn't completely sure in how to do so. She decided to sit back, crossing her legs and wait, though she wasn't sure that she had caught on the meditation completely, it had somewhat given her the possibility to learn to relax and be more patient, something that she knew the people around her could feel as well, though she hadn't included anyone other than Killian in what was going on.

Emma was snapped out of her thoughts when Wugui began clearing his throat;

"I see that you have practiced well as I asked you to," he began, for the first time since meeting the man, Emma could tell that he was quite nervous, and she guessed that that was _something_ since it apparently was the man who had invented kung fu and had accomplished more than what he ever had encountered a person had done.

"Ehm, yeah, I have, but I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing, or if I have even come close to anything yet," she stuttered and looked down at her hands, avoiding his gaze.

Wugui only smiled at her slight rambling, oh how she should know that by her body language alone, he could tell that she had progressed within the past week faster than he had ever expected of such an untrained soul.

"Just take it easy, you'll find your way, trust me," the older man told Emma and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"It's not that I'm backing out or anything, but I was just thinking; wouldn't it be easier for me to learn to fight after the baby is born?" Emma asked as she looked at the older man questioningly while caressing the small bump.

"As I told you, Dragon Warrior, the fighting is not important for you. At least not for now," he answered before opening his eyes again to look right back at Emma. "For you, the fighting will come more natural to you, but as for now, the most important thing is what is happening in here, and here," he told her while lightly poking her forehead and chest.

"Wugui, please, I know that the reason for asking me and teaching me all of _this_ is because you're going to need me to fight an enemy either coming here or back in your homeland, and while I would have done that in the past, I can't just jump into battles like that," Emma told the older man slightly frustrated, while this was indeed interesting and exciting to learn, it was also quite unsettling not knowing what exactly this was going to be used for.

"Who told you that?" Wugui asked her raising his eyebrows at her.

"No one, it's just what the past years have taught me," Emma blurted somewhat unsurely.

"You are not at all wrong in your assumptions, and I will -."

Wugui was interrupted by Emma's phone vibrated, "I'm sorry, meditation or not, I'm also sheriff of this town, and it seems like I'm needed now" Emma announced as she looked at the text message from her father, telling her to come to the station as soon as possible

"Something is going on, I have to go back," she told Wugui who just nodded at her. "It's fine, I understand the urge to protect your village," he told her, and went back to closing his eyes.

"Come back tomorrow, and I will let you in on what's going on."

"Alright," Emma breathed out before she let herself vanish in a cloud of grey smoke.

* * *

Gongmen City, China, present time.

Along the southern coast of China, a once vast and peaceful metropolis was located.

Despite its greatness, Gongmen City had an uncomfortable and quite creepy atmosphere. The streets were empty for people as if the entire city had become an abandoned ghost town, and the sky was blood red. You couldn't tell that this had once been one of the most respected and beautiful cities of all of China.

Double as grand as the Peace Village, the city's coastline could be seen from hundred of miles away, especially because of the Tower of the Sacred Flame. With its ten stories it hovered protectively over the city. At the very top, the throne room was located, and in here the heir of the throne, Lord Shen sat on what was once his father's throne.

The man dressed in the finest grey-white and engraved silk robe in the province, he was sitting and playing lazily with the end strands of his long grey hair, that had the markings of a red burning sun with one hand, while clinging his feather shaped knives against each other, creating the sound of metal pieces hitting each other in the otherwise silent room. Too silent if you asked Shen.

Normally it would sing now, but recently it would stop in the middle of its 'performance', but now it had gone completely silent. As he sat watching the small brownish bird sitting in the way too small cage hanging from the ceiling right above the throne, he could feel the rage within him build. Normally this bird would sing the most beautiful song for him, but now the thing was just sitting, looking down, not moving at all.

"Why wouldn't you sing for me? 'Sing little Nightingale, sing!' Nothing happened, the bird remained silent. "Stupid bird!" He yelled at it, and angrily tossed one his knives at the cage. The blade hit the cage, making it swing lightly. The small bird was caught off balance and beat its small wings repeatedly to keep it from falling. Finally the bird now looked towards Shen who raised his eyebrows at first, but then seemed to shrug it off, but then the most horrific shriek came from the bird. It tore into his ears and painfully in his skull.

"Stop that!" He roared at the bird, and took his lance and hit the cage with it, forcing the small withholder to swing swiftly from one side to the other, making the bird fall from its small perch and land harshly on the floor beneath, making it stop altogether, just lying silently on the floor.

"Finally," Shen shook his head as stood up and slowly strode towards the balcony to look upon the city. The sky had turned even more red, and it was as if the shrieking from the bird was still echoing through the city.

"Seems like I have no choice," the man whispered to himself and turned around. "Guard!" He yelled and a few seconds later, a heavy build man ran into the room.

"Find _him_ you know, and bring him to me!" He ordered not looking back at all, but just smiled as the guard told him "yes, your Majesty," and fled the room as quickly as he got in.

"I will make you sing for me again, bird, and soon enough, my army and cannons will be strong enough, and then, all of China will be mine.

* * *

Sheriff's station, Storybrooke next day:

"She wasn't there at all?" David asked in disbelief as he looked at his wife standing before him with his daughter and son-in-law behind him.

It was during the afternoon, and the small family had gathered at the station to make status as Emma had been involved in the case yesterday, but they had all agreed that Snow should try and talk with Mei first before doing anything else.

The July sun was still shining brightly as it would do longer during this time of year, making the station brighten up even without the lights on and with the blinds closed.

"No, and it's so weird, Mei has since she began in school seemed like a kid who always meets on time and stays without running away during the day," Snow sighed as she sat down by the desk in the open area of the station.

"I guess we will have to confront them in the village then," David stated shrugging his shoulders.

"What about Henry? He's with Regina now, right?" Snow asked Emma who nodded while having her arms crossed. "Yeah, he is," she answered, but as she thought about it, even he seemed to be acting a little bit strange recently. Emma had first shrugged it off as she thought it maybe was a part of planning the upcoming wedding between Regina and Robin, and the bachelor parties following that, but now with this case, things seemed a little too close for comfort.

Suddenly a terrible shrieking sound tor through her ears that hit right into her skull.

"Argh!" Emma screamed out, shocking both husband and parents when she out of nowhere suddenly bent forward and held on to the desk with one hand, while holding her ear with the other.

"Emma! Emma, what is going on?" The worried voice of Killian came through, and as fast as the sound had raced through her ears, it disappeared as fast again.

"Sweetheart are you okay?" Snow asked just as worried as reached across the desk to lay a hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Is it those pains again?" Killian asked her as he remembered what Dr. Whale had told them during their last check-up at the hospital.

"Oh, I remember, I was hit by those too, come on, honey, you should sit down," Snow suggested, and before Emma or anyone else could react, Snow had almost ran around the table to help Emma towards the couch.

Emma was still slightly out of it to react probably and not wanting them to worry too much, she decided to go with it, and perhaps it was something in that manner, though something inside her told that it was not 'just' the side effects of being pregnant.

"Maybe we should call it a day and head home all of us," David suggested as he watched his wife and daughter sit down.

"We can talk with Henry and all others presumably involved in this tomorrow," Snow added and then it was decided. Things would be postponed, and they all decided to head home to the farm to stay overnight.

Emma already seemed better, and though she still wondered about what happened earlier, she still ate and talked along with her husband and parents during the conversations about everything from pregnancies to weddings.

It was during her sleep that night that she was once again faced by new mysterious events;

 _A city, blood red sky, cement and stone everywhere. The clinging of metal._

 _Grey, white, black, red._

 _No voice or guiding by Oogway, no sight of the Valley of Peace, no song by that bird._

 _"SHRIIIEEKK!"_

 _"Make it stop! Somebody make it stop! Get it to sing again, I want it to sing again!" "China will be mine!"_

 _A red peacock suddenly flew into her vision, its eyes blood red and as it flew into her, the eyes made out a red burning sun._

The image and a sudden stinging headache made Emma's eyes flew open and she sat up in one movement, breathing heavily. She turned to see that Killian was still sleeping soundly. She couldn't decide weather to wake him up or not. Glancing at the clock at her night stand it red 3:50 a.m. Running a hand across her face she decided not to, and slowly got up and out in the hallway, heading for the bathroom.

* * *

 **I'm sorry for the lack of update. The reason for that being that I lost ALL of my notes about this story, and I mean all of them. I had noted down what was going to happen in every single chapter, and then, of course it got deleted in a 'weak' moment where I wasn't thinking. Anyway.**

 **That made me somewhat a little down in writing as I couldn't remember what I had planned for this chapter, but here's the result.**

 **I wouldn't comment too much about the story as I hope that you can tell things by yourself and maybe where I'm heading ;)**

 **Also, I would be really glad, if you would check out my other story: Bonding Fiery Souls - it's a Once Upon A Time/How To Train Your Dragon combination, and it need views! :)**

 **Anyway, I'm way through the half of the next chapter, so I hope that an update wouldn't be that far away :)**

 **Another thing: the person who wanted to help me with the grammar part of this story has currently gone away without any explanation, so if anyone out there has the time and will to ONLY look at grammar and such, please contact me :)**

 **Flaxen.**


	17. Lord Shen

**Lord Shen**

 **Week 16: July:**

 **The body:** _Some bad news, Savior; during this period you'll experience some extra nasal congestion and maybe even nosebleeds to go along with it. While pregnancy-related nasal congestion is annoying, it shouldn't cause any problems and will go away after the baby is born. The nasal congestion can lead to headaches, increased sensitivity to allergies and other discomforts. Some women report that drinking ginger herbal tea often helps relieve nasal congestion. Another common complaint to experience is called: scatterbrain. As your belly grows outward your whole center of gravity is thrown. After walking perfectly for years, your body now has to constantly realign itself to keep you upright. You and your pirate will maybe start to feel a little stressed these days. Many pregnant couples (whether it's the first time for one of your or not) worry about their baby's health and how they'll handle the changes ahead. But with physical discomfort on the wane and energy on the rise, this is also a wonderful trimester for most women. This is also the week when the decision to find out the sex of the baby is made._

 **The baby:** _Your baby is now practicing all sort of facial expressions such as squinting, yawning, and grimacing, which will come in handy when you introduce him or her to pureed spinach. Your baby's appearance changes as the scalp hair grows and may even have color. The developing facial muscles make it possible for the baby to open and close its mouth, maybe even give you a smile or two. Your baby's skin is still translucent and wrinkly, not unlike an old man's, but more fat will soon accumulate under the dermis to plump him or her out. If you could peer inside right now, you'd be able to see all of the veins underneath the skin. And speaking of veins; your baby's heart now pumps about 25 quarts of blood per day! Also, your baby's eyes are now locked and loaded at their final destination, facing forward rather than to the sides. The legs are much more developed, the head is more erect than it has been, and the ears are close to their final position too. This week your little one is around 4.5 inches long and weighs in around 3 ounces, about the size of an avocado._

* * *

Gongmen City, China, the past.

"My Lord, my Lady, you have asked for my presence?"

An older woman walked into the grand throne room in the Tower of Sacred Flame. The marbled floor reflected every pillar and the very golden throne standing on two platforms made of marble as well.

Two guards were leading her to the pair though she had lived and served as adviser for the rulers of the Gongmen Province as long as she could remember.

Nodding at the guards to leave, the ruler, Lord Kongque waited until him, his Lady Nuwang and their adviser were alone.

"May I ask? Where is the prince?" Bai, better known as the Soothsayer on the castle grounds asked as she looked around. Ever since the heir to the throne was born, Bai had been the caretaker of the young Prince Shen.

"Yes, Soothsayer, and we are grateful that you could come," Kongque started, and looked to his Lady who had her head bowed and turned away. The Lord cleared his throat and turned towards Bai again;

"Our son is not here as it is he who we want to consult you about," he admitted which caused the long loyal advisor to frown.

"Is he sick again?" She asked them.

Due to the prince was born albino, his immune system had always been very poor, and therefore caused a lot of sickness when he was a child. She remembered how the council meetings would mostly be about the worries of the Prince's future as he had been close to death more than once during his childhood.

"No, fortunately our heir is healthy, but we do worry about the way he acts," the ruler sighed heavily.

"For years beyond counting our family have always had the privilege of ruling this grand province, and with that honor, our responsibility of giving the city and its people the joy of beautiful colors of our fireworks and flowers," the Lady finally spoke, taking her husband by surprise, but he didn't comment on it, but just watched his wife talking.

"But Shen seems to look at things differently," Lady Nuwang trailed off and bowed her head again.

At that, Bai lifted her eyebrows and pushed her glasses upwards. The older woman got lost in her thoughts for a moment when thinking about the young, pale, and very vulnerable child that she had cared back to health time and time again. Back then she had also been one of his lectures, and she hadn't doubted once that he would grow up with the same values and ideals as his parents.

"We caught him yesterday while he was weaponizing the fireworks he has been taught to make as we were," Kongque told Bai who once again raised her eyebrows in shock.

"Soothsayer, we are very worried about him, and that has brought us to consult you to show us what is in store for our son and for the kingdom's future," the Lord told her, folding his arms, covering them in his blue silk robe.

"I see," Bai answered and opened the small bag she had brought with her. She already knew that the consulting would include a fortune telling as the guards who had come to her apartment to lead her all the way up to the throne room had told her to bring the necessary objects.

Taking out her bowl and the powder to create the visuals for the fortune telling, the rulers of the Gongmen Province followed her every movement with great anxiety. Lady Nuwang nervously reached out to grasp onto her husband's elbow, still keeping her eyes on the Soothsayer.

Bai gathered the powder and tossed into the bowl which caused small sparks that gave a small explosion, causing smoke to emerge from the bowl and upwards in the air.

The clouds slowly formed a white peacock, the symbol of the royal family. "If the Prince continues his dark path," she began as the smoke changed and formed the yin-yang symbol, "he will be defeated by a warrior far, far away from here, with the gracefulness of the swan," she told them, before a swan now was formed in the smoke. The swan spread its wings before flying up in the air and the smoke cleared in one blink.

"So he will be stopped eventually?" Kongque asked somewhat hopefully. Though he loved his son more than anything beside his wife, he could not let that stand in the way for this land's future.

"He will," the Soothsayer ended and nodded reassuringly at the royal pair.

Little did they know. The Prince himself had been listening outside of the throne room. He had heard the guards talking about why the Lord and Lady needed the Soothsayer for as they passed his room.

"He will be defeated by a warrior far, far away from here," was all he need to hear and he hed listed away before he was caught by anyone.

Defeated, defeated, defeated, was constantly played over and over again in his mind. A warrior from far, far away from here. By that, Shen was sure that the Soothsayer was talking about the farthest provinces and villages of China. He needed a counterplan to face off against this mysterious warrior.

For weeks, the Prince did nothing but research and find information about those places far away from the Gongmen Province, and he had almost given up when suddenly a scroll envelope hidden farthest away in the last bookshelf in the Royal library had fallen out. Picking it up, he studied the envelope wooden handles carefully. A shell from a turtle was crafted in them, and as he rolled it out, he began reading; The tales of Oogway, the father of Kung Fu," the title read, and for hours, Shen read intensively about a man who had travelled from the Galapagos Island to China and had found a placed which he had named the Valley of Peace.

Reading more into the quite fascinating story on how Oogway had created the material arts of Kung Fu, which Shen himself had been taught by the Gongmen City's Kung Fu Master Taxin. Then a chapter caught his interest: the legend of the Dragon Warrior. A warrior picked out by the spirits would be granted the powers beyond compare. "That's it," Shen whispered to himself and laughed silently to himself of his discovery.

The story about the Dragon Warrior mostly contained Oogway's own imagination, and Shen concluded that this scroll had been written before such warrior had been found, and he could feel the disappointment grow in him. "So close, yet so far," he sighed and tossed the scroll away. How could he prepare for facing an enemy when he didn't know who he was up against? That gave him the idea;

Picking up the scroll again, Shen reread one passage, telling that the Oogway had a vision telling him that the Dragon Warrior would be born in the year of the Dragon in a village told to be of people as calm and patient as the panda. Prince Shen squinted as he tried recalling when his parents had returned home from a gathering of rulers of different provinces and his father had spoken about the ruler from one of the cities to be almost lazy in his way of acting.

"The Xiong Province! Of course," Shen lit up, but then stopped in his tracks; "wait a...," Shen trailed off and his eyes widened, "it's now!" He exclaimed and sighed in relief when he looked around to see that he was the only one in here. Quickly, he hid the it inside his grey silken robe and headed for his quarters on the 9th. floor of the tower.

The Xiong Province was a least a week travel from here, and for what he was planning, he knew that his parents would never approve of what he wanted to do. Luckily for him, he was the heir of the throne and had almost as much power of the kingdom and its servers as his parents had.

During the next day, he faked a letter to the military quarters of the palace, telling them that a threat towards the Gongmen Province had been sent from the Xiong Province, and that General Ox along with the Prince would be gathering an army for an ambush. The Prince had from early on learned to copy his father's signature and after having put on the last hànzì, he collected the scroll and ordered for a guard to give the scroll to his general immediately.

* * *

Chinese Village, Jun's house, next day:

He should have known that creating the Secret Place and beginning to train the Dragon Warrior wasn't going to prevent his sickness from showing its ugly face again.

For several mornings, the coughing had returned yet again and this time it came with a vengeance by being what seemed like ten times worse than before. Wugui knew that he had outlived his days by centuries and that perhaps the spirit realm was about to claim him.

He was too weak to go anywhere today though he knew he had promised Emma to meet her days ago, and for the first time, he had regretted not listening more when his oldest granddaughter talked about this realms devices for communicating with other people.

Another wave of coughs hit him, and his body shook with each.

"Dad?"

He looked up to see his daughter Jun coming into his room with a tray in her hands. Oh how she looked like her mother.

"Jun my dear," he greeted her with a terrible hoarse voice. Small coughs escaped him, and he slowly sat up.

"It has gotten worse, hasn't it?" She asked him nervously as she sat the tray by his nightstand and sat down on her knees beside his bed, squeezing his knee.

"I fear so, dear," he rasped honestly and smiled at his daughter when she handed him a cup and poured the tea water in.

While Wugui added the matcha, Jun reached into her pockets in the black jeans she was wearing and took out a piece of paper.

"Jun what is that?" He asked curiously before taking the first sip.

"Grandpa, you remember the whole thing with Mei and some of the Fives' kids breaking into Mr. Gold's shop, right?" She asked him unsurely while unfolding the paper.

"Yeah I do remember," he answered her his voice now more clear.

"I found this in her room," Jun announced and gave him the piece of paper. Wugui's eye widened by what he saw. "It flew out when accidently knocked into her bookshelf, and it certainly explains everything, you've heard about their second attempt, right?" She asked, but didn't wait for an answer; "I don't know what's going through their heads, but we must stop them and warn the sheriffs before they go any further," she concluded and eyed her father.

Wugui didn't say anything, but studied the paper intensely.

For the past few weeks, his oldest grandchild had been unusually quiet and had been away a lot, excusing it with school work, but when he had found the letter from the school's administrative telling that Mei hadn't showed up for several days now without any notice, he had quietly confronted her about it, but still she had refused to tell him the truth, and now he knew why.

"Hello! I'm home!"

The voice of his granddaughter made both Wugui and Jun look at each other and nodded, there was no reason for not confronting her about this;

"Mei, sweetheart, would you mind coming up here?" Jun asked out loud enough for Mei to hear it.

"What is it mom?" The young black haired teenager asked them as she entered the room.

Without a word, Wugui turned the paper in his hand, and all color disappeared from Mei's face.

"You have a lot to explain here, young lady," Jun crossed her arms as Mei sat down at the empty space of Wugui's bed.

"I thought by returning the book to Mr. Gold himself that you had learned a thing or two, but apparently not since you decided to include the Fives' children as well, my dear, Mei, what were you thinking? And what is the plan with this?" Jun scolded, finishing off by grabbing the paper out of Wugui's hands and show it to her.

 _Duplication of Magical Objects and Beings page 24 - The Nightingale._

On the page where the drawn picture of the original Nightingale as well as the 'recipe' for recreating a new one.

But that was not all, notes for who would be collecting the various objects, was written down as well.

"I...I just wanted to go home," Mei admitted, and looked at her mother with tears in her eyes, and looked towards Wugui, "and I wanted to help you as well grandpa."

"Oh, Mei, dear," Jun sighed deeply and gave the paper back to Wugui before sitting down beside her oldest daughter.

"Mei, magic like that is way too unpredictable to be used in the way you wish," Wugui spoke softly as he reached out to clutch his granddaughter's hand, "beside, I have contact with the Dragon Warrior, or Savior as they called her here."

"Really?" Mei sniffed and looked at her grandfather in amazement.

"Really, and if she's learning fast," he told them, making Jun suddenly widened her eyes, "that's why you were gone the other day! Dad, why didn't you tell me?" She almost yelled at him, but controlled herself as she knew he was not well.

"As I told you back then, I was talking a walk," he winked at her, making Mei chuckle slightly. The elder man himself smiled by the thought of making his granddaughter laugh.

"But Mei, this doesn't change anything, I'm going to give a call to the Five, and tell them what has been going on," Jun went back to the subject.

Mei closed her eyes tightly, but ended up nodding without saying a word, and only opened them again when she felt her mother stand up and walking out of the room, leaving her alone with her grandfather.

"So, tell me more about the Dragon Warrior," Mei excitedly asked her grandfather.

"Very well," he began.

* * *

Storybrooke, Main Street:

For whatever reason, Wugui never showed up this morning either, and having waited for days without anything, Emma began worrying for the older man.

She knew where the Chinese village in Storybrooke was, but as she had been busy with solving the case of Rumple's shop once again being robbed and the fact that she had been dealing with some quite nasty headaches recently having removed any motivations for further investigation on the whereabouts of Wugui.

Emma had waited until before lunch before giving up, and was now heading for Granny's as her hunger screamed for a grilled cheese.

Since it was over 17 years since she had been pregnant for the first time and locked up, she suddenly have found herself having troubles with walking normally and keeping her balance. Not exactly the smartest thing for the sheriff of the town to be dealing with, but by having two others on the shifts, it certainly did help in not being a total disaster.

Finally she reached the family diner and stopped up for a minute to gain her breathe and trying to force a sneeze out for her uncomfortably stuffed nose.

After crossing the road, a familiar pair sat outside on the green plastic chairs by the small outdoor tables. Chuckling to herself, Emma couldn't help but thinking back. Not even two years ago, this scenario right here would have been outrageous, especially by one former Evil Queen.

Debating on whether to join them or just head straight inside the diner, Emma was interrupted in her small inner debate by the voice of one of the pair;

"Emma!"

"Hey there, Robin, Zelena," she nodded at both as she quickly strode towards them.

"Come, sit down," Robin offered and as the gentleman he was, he stood up and took a chair out for her to sit on.

"So, Killian told me yesterday that you decided not to know about the gender, correct?" Robin asked a little unsure if he was going into a dangerous zone, but relaxed when Emma calmly shook her head. "No, we discussed it at our last checkpoint and decided for it to be a surprise," Emma smiled at him.

"It's a girl in there," Zelena blurted out, and soon a small battle between former wicked witch and former outlaw started on what gender was hidden inside.

"No matter what, we're going to love you senseless," Emma told her stomach as if she was the only one there, and laughed along the debate going on.

"Can I get you anything? It's on me," the former Robin asked and Emma shook her head, unaware that she apparently had zoned out for a moment, and thought for a second to let the man be, but now as he offered it, "well if you wouldn't mind paying for a grilled cheese," she blurted out looking back up at him.

"A grilled cheese coming up, Zelena it was a chicken salad right?" He asked the red-haired woman who only nodded as she bounced little Jade on her lap. "I'll be back soon, ladies," he smiled at them before heading inside.

"Waow, someone is preparing to get Regina as a wife," Emma snickered making Zelena laugh out loud, "oh that might be, but I think it was more of a way to escape from my small introduction to milk accumulation," Zelena spoke through clenched teeth at the last part.

"Argh, Zelena! Don't remind me," Emma sighed as she let her hand glide over her now grown stomach.

The very thought of that statement reminded her of her time back in prison. Those painful moments without any release, and...

Emma shook her head, not wanting to remembering anything from that time.

The sound of the familiar bell was heard and Robin soon came out and sat down by his chair again, "orders will be coming soon," he announced smiling happily at both women and reached over to take Jade from Zelena's arms.

"So, the wedding's coming soon, ready to be Mr. Mills?" Emma asked the former outlaw who only grinned back at her.

"As ready as can be, though I might admit that I fear more of what your father and husband is planning alongside with Henry for that bachelor-party next week," Robin answered shaking his head slightly at the last part.

Emma couldn't help but chuckle at that. She remembered having asked Killian what they were planning for the famous Robin Hood, but he had stayed quiet about it and had annoyingly started laughing afterwards.

"That reminds me, we haven't planned anything for Regina!" Emma suddenly realized and seemed to be the case for Zelena as well as her eyes widened.

"Oh my, we haven't!" Zelena almost exclaimed but kept herself calmed as she could see that her outburst scared Jade somewhat and her small eyes started watering. "Oh no, honey, it's okay," she reached out to soothe her daughter as Robin bounced the baby up and down, speaking to her softly.

Meanwhile, Emma had pulled out her cell to text her mother to plan a meeting for Regina's bachelor party, and her mother had immediately answered back that David would be kicked out of the house tonight and the planning would start this very night.

Emma was about to notice Zelena about tonight's events when two drops of blood landed on the screen. "The hell?" Emma muttered and touched around on her face until she came to her nostrils and felt wetness there, looking at her fingers more blood showed on them, and quickly she reached forward and grabbed a tissue from the small stand on the table and put pressure on her nose with it.

"You okay, Emma?" Robin asked when her movements caused him to look up and see her sweep blood from her nose. "I'm fine," Emma shrugged, "just some nosebleeding," she added and kept the pressure on.

"Anyway, tonight at my mother's, Zelena," Emma announced shifting her gaze to the red-haired woman who only nodded along and shared a somewhat concerned look with Robin when he handed Jade back to her.

"A grilled cheese, a chicken salad and a cheeseburger, right?"

The voice of Granny made all three look up, and smiled at her, nodding as seeing the food reminded them of their hunger.

"Is that blood?" Granny asked when she placed the plate in front of the blonde. "It is, and I'm fine, no need to worry," Emma once again tried to shrug off.

Without saying anything else, Granny sat down the other plates for Zelena and Robin before going back inside.

* * *

Gongmen City, the present:

Growing more and more annoyed as he waited for one specific prisoner to be brought to him, he stood up and walked towards the balcony to look over the city. How incredibly stupid his parents had been. Not only had they chosen to focus on 'beauty' and 'the importance of the people of the city,' but they had also...

Shaking his head, he turned around and threw one of the knives in his hand across the room to hit the pillar across. He hated thinking back on _that._ Especially as he had been the one who was punished back then, but all that he had gotten his revenge and even more. He had defeated the warrior that had been 'destined to defeat him.'

"Careful, you could hit someone," an older woman's voice came from his right side.

"I didn't believe I asked for your opinion, old goat," he snapped at the woman.

The Soothsayer, Bai, known for her ability second sight she had worked as an advisor for the former rulers of Gongmen City, but had been imprisoned by Lord Shen after he had taken over the city and forced to work for him. Sitting on a small mat in her corner of the room where she was chained to a pillar, she was wearing a variety of colored robes and had a small wooden cane when standing.

"That's no way of talking to your adviser, Shen," she reminded him, not all intimidated as he neared her.

"Adviser? Ha! You weren't even able to predict my fortune correctly," the younger man smirked and now stood by the shorter woman, who was still sitting while meditating with closed eyes.

"I was not wrong," she stated simply, still not looking at him.

"Then tell me why that thing is not singing to me as it did before," he snapped at her, pointing towards a small bird cage which hang from the ceiling, right beside the throne. Inside, a small brownish bird sat on the only thin wooden perch inside.

Before the Soothsayer could answer, one of the heavy muscled guards approached; "Lord Shen, the prisoner is here," he stated before a young boy in chains and with two more normal build guards dragged him in, letting him fall to his knees.

"Perfect," Shen stated as he watched the thin boy sitting on his marble floor, so clean it reflected everything standing on it.

As the guards left, the ruler of Gongmen City neared the boy. "So, I have brought you here as I have a task for you to do for me," Shen explained bending down to the boy and lifted his chin, and chuckled as the malnourished kid glared daggers at him.

"I will not help you with _ANYTHING!_ _"_ He roared as loud as he could with a hoarse voice, only to receive as hard slap to the cheek, forcing his head to the side, the hit still burning from the force.

"You do not hit a child!" Came the angry voice from the Soothsayer in the background, having watched the horrific scene before her. Her shock of seeing the boy after the last couple of years was so horrifying to watch. A once healthy young boy was now in his early teens, but clearly now too thin to do much fighting, exactly what Shen had wanted.

"Silence!" Shen snapped at the older woman and returned his attention towards the boy.

"What I need you to do is to make this thing sing again," he told the boy uncaringly for the unhealthy appearance and pointed towards the bird in the too small cage.

Looking up slowly, the boy's eyes widened slightly, "the Nightingale," he whispered not believing what he was seeing. "But how?" He asked out in a whisper loud enough for the Soothsayer to hear it. "Because, my friend, Shen has not reached the goal he think he has."

"I said told you to be silent, one more word from you, and I will -."

"Not kill me," the older woman shrugged uncaringly at the furious man. "You have threatened me with that way too much, and despite your denaile, you need me," she stated as uncaringly, and returned her attention at the boy.

Deciding to let it be for now, Shen turned his attention towards the boy again, "I want you to make it sing for me," he ordered as he went behind the boy and forced him to his unstable feet.

"I can't, only my father, the Dragon Warrior can," the boy fought to keep his stance while maintaining a firm expression even though that subject hurt him more than any bruise or cut did on his body.

"My boy, you know why the Nightingale is still alive," the Soothsayer broke in, making the boy turn towards her. "He is still alive?" He asked feeling a spark of hope he hadn't felt for years.

At that, the older woman grew a more sad expression, making the boy feel the hope within him disappear again. "I'm sorry sweetheart, but no, but what it does mean is that -"

A feather shaped knife suddenly flew across hitting just above the Soothsayer's head.

"I told you to be SILENT!" Lord Shen roared at the older woman. "I'm only keeping you alive to show me my future and how I will rule all of China by the next few months!" The ruler stated furiously and breathed heavily out of his nose, trying to calm himself down.

"But you said that my fortune skills were poor before, so what are you keeping me for?" She taunted the grey haired man who just glared at her, but then chuckled and neared her.

"Then tell me, Soothsayer, tell me my for -." "Fortune?" At that, Shen stood still for a moment. "Future, I was going to say: future," he corrected her, and neared her.

"Show me what awaits me in my 'fortune' then," he sneered and stood by as he watched the older woman sighing deeply before she gathered some glowing powder in her hand which she tossed in to a small bowl in front of her.

Both Shen and the boy watched in amazement as a cloud of smoke appeared above them, showing a glorious grey peacock. At that, Shen smiled. The peacock had been his family's symbol for years, and he had especially been drawn to those who tuned out grey and white. "The path you're on will lead you on one way and on one way only," she spoke as the smoke formed the yin-yang symbol. "You will be defeated by a warrior from far, far away with the gracefulness of the swan, nothing has changed," she finished off as the swan spread its wings like it did when she had foretold this to his parents.

Shen's eyes widened at the last part. He couldn't recall having heard about the swan in that fortune telling he had overheard, but then again, he had left the consultation before it was finished.

Trying not to let it show, Shen shook his head, and he angrily tossed a knife towards the bowl, shattering it and with his other hand, he pushed the table where Bai had her tools and scrolls so it fell to the floor. Laughing slightly unsurely, he glared at his former caretaker; "that's impossible, and you know it," he hissed at her, and turned around.

"And you," he called, pointing at the boy, "will get this thing here to sing for me before...," he trailed off and just shook his head. "You'll get it to sing, or I will find the rest of your family, and you know, make you even more alone," he chuckled evilly and went to his throne and looked up at the cage, where the bird had gone silent ever since it had shrieked for the first time.

"I refuse," the boy spoke firmly, which only resulted in Shen jumping out of his seat and furiously throwing another knife that just passed the boy's cheek, making a small scratch. "Argh!" The boy hissed.

Suddenly the bird inside the cage shot its head up;

"SHRIIEEK!"

* * *

Storybrooke, the Charming's Farm:

One moment, Emma was laughing alongside her mother and Zelena while planning Regina's bachelor event, the next she only remembered flashes of having used magic to make two white wine glasses and one with water appear, the weird dizziness that came along and then a sudden sharp headache. Then a horrible shrieking tormented her ears, and then everything went black.

"Emma? Emma! Oh gosh, can you hear us? Emma!"

The frantic and horrified voice of her mother was the first think Emma became aware of as she was drawn from the dark oblivion that had engulfed her vision just moments ago. Opening her eyes, the blurred vision of her mother and Zelena looking down at her with worried expressions was the first thing that met her.

Leaning her head back onto the soft pillows it was now that Emma noticed that she had been lifted up onto the couch.

She felt a glass carefully being handed to her, and with a somewhat strong grip, Emma managed to sip some water.

"There you go, sweetheart, just take it easy," the voice of her mother soothed her while her gentle hand caressed her forehead.

"Should I call Doctor Whale?" Zelena asked unsurely while gazing between mother and daughter.

It was quite the fall Emma had taken as none of them had been quick enough to catch her in time, and Emma's features were still quite pale.

"I don't think a call would hurt," Snow answered while taking the glass back before Emma dropped it as her oldest child still seemed to be in a small daze.

Only nodding, Zelena went out in the hallway and took her phone out.

Trying to listen along the conversation as the silence was almost deafening now, Snow stilled had her full attention on Emma. She couldn't get this feeling of that something was going on with her daughter. This was the second time in a short period she had witnessed Emma going down like that and yet again it didn't seem like there was any clear reason behind it, especially when Emma had just been laughing alongside her and Zelena seconds before, and having just turned around to get the bottle when a heavy thud was heard, and she had turned back around to the horrible image of her pregnant daughter lying unconscious on the floor.

A groan took her out of her train of thoughts and gasped slightly when she saw Emma trying to get up. Snow knew that her daughter, despite her growth from when she arrived in the town several years ago, she was still quite independent and often obstinated for anyone helping her.

"Don't move, sweetheart, just relax," Snow soothed and gently pushed Emma back against the pillows again, and breathed out in relief that Emma didn't put much of a fight up.

"Okay, we will, thank you Doctor," Zelena finished off her conversation with Doctor Whale as she went back inside the living room before putting her phone back in her pocket.

"What did he say?" Snow asked slightly anxious for the answer as she in her mind was already thinking on how to arrange baby-sitting in case they were going to the hospital as of right now.

"He said that we should let her relax and rest. I described the fall as I was the one who saw it, and she didn't hit her head on anything, and he said just in case that she has a small concussion should wake her every two hours and have her tell who she is and where she is," Zelena informed, remembering Dr. Whale's words exactly as he had told her.

"What about?..." Snow trailed off as she glanced at Emma's stomach while holding on to his Emma's hand, clutching it for almost dear life.

"The baby should be fine and well-protected in the womb. He said that if she's showing any signs of pain in the abdomen, we should bring her in, but for now -"

"Guys, I'm fine," Emma stated hoarsely and once again began sitting up, but was stopped once again by a her mother's hand on her chest. Emma groaned annoyedly and looked up at the one pushing her down, but found her irritation disappear the second she laid her eyes on her clearly worried mother.

"Emma, please."

Deciding to 'give in' once again, Emma laid back down and hated to admit that she actually felt the need of taking things slowly.

"There you go," Snow whispered and brushed some of her blonde hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

Drifting off, Emma smiled inwardly when her mother began humming her lullaby; "... _I will protect you from all around you,...Always"_

* * *

 **More background stories - also from way back to get the origin of Shen which is somewhat borrowed from the original story, but also mixtured with my own. If you have watched the movies, you'll know where ;).**

 **Anyway, more mysteries and weird connections is in store a long with some fun moments in next chapter :)**

 **Hope to see you soon :)**

 **Flaxen.**

 **Btw: PopPotter777, thank you for wanting to help me - I'm so grateful for that, but I need to write to you through private messages and I can't when you're a guest-reviewer :)**


	18. Heartburn

**Heartburn**

 **Week 17: July**

 **The body:** _Daily, your body's changing inside and out to accommodate your baby, Savior. As your skin stretches, your breasts and abdomen may become itchy. Your baby bump will begin to change your posture so that your back may ache. Inside your body, your stomach is getting more cramped, sometimes leading to heartburn, indigestion, and flatulence. Mood swings can surface too as pregnancy hormones continue to play with your emotions. Your body undergoes many changes to give your baby room to grow. Some of these changes are comforting - your rounded belly and full breasts for example - while other signs can be troubling, such as stretch marks and swelling of the feet and ankles. Keep in mind that theses physical changes will last until you give birth. At this stage of your pregnancy one of the ain symptoms which you may still be feeling is fatigue, but that should improve over the next few weeks._

 **The baby:** _The adding of fat stores that will keep your baby warm and cozy after it's born will start now. Your baby's weight will increase approximately six times over the next four weeks. Your baby is hard at work honing the sucking and swallowing reflexes. The finger and toenails are beginning to grow from their nail beds. Around this time your baby's ears pop from its head and the baby can now senese sounds, and the baby can actually hear sounds of both your voice and music from inside. This week the baby weighs around 5 ounces and stretches to just over 5 ounces - about the size of a red onion._

* * *

Gongmen City, China, the past:

Shocked could not have described it. Horrified? Closer, yet still not the word to describe feeling inside that sent shivers down his spine. Hours had passed since he had read the scroll send by the rulers of Xiong City.

His son. His very own son, and future heir to Gongmen throne had committed genocide on a small, peaceful village in the Xiong Province.

All men, women, and even children had been mercilessly slaughtered, and their homes had been burned to the ground. Only a very small group of people had survived and had reported the crime to nearby villages.

In the scroll send by the Xiong ruler, it read that the ruler had provided a hidden village for the survivors and he would call in for a meeting in the near future, discussing the consequences for the Prince for such an act.

A few days later, General Ox had been the first to arrive home. Having discovered too late that the letter from his Lord wasn't real and that no threat had been send from the Xiong Province, he had refused to execute the order from the Prince and had tried to stop Shen in attacking the all non-threatening village that for some reason, was a target for the young Prince.

Unfortunately, Shen had done his preparation, and had bribed some of Ox's men to go up against him and the heir had given the General a choice. Either flee the area or get executed at the spot, only for it to be an unfortunate tale about a fallen warrior when Shen would get back home.

Kongque, ruler of Gongmen City was beside himself. He knew that it only be matter of time before the rest of China's rulers would get to know about what had happened in the Xiong Province, and the consequences would most likely end up in his son being executed for treason against China, and several trade deals being cancelled. Unless...

There was one option that Kongque had, but it would also mean that he and his Lady Nuwang would never see their son again.

He had told about the other option to her, as if she wasn't broken down as well.

"I don't think we have other options, Nuwang," Kongque tried to soothe her as he sat by her side on their large bed in their sleeping quarters.

"Couldn't you try to speak to the Xiong ruler? You once told about your meetings with him, and that he seemed to take the peaceful way," Nuwang tried to reason with him, but only wept more when she watched him sighing deeply and shaking his head.

"What Shen has done is considered high treason, Nuwang. He ambushed a defenseless village on false purposes. He killed their men, women, and children. There is no way that the Government is going easy on him, not even if the Xiong ruler doesn't want him dead," Kongque explained, trying to withhold his own frustration. What in the world had gotten into his son's head? He thought that Shen would be stopped by someone as the Soothsayer had foretold.

"And I'm not even covering the consequences this could have for our province," Kongque further spoke as he stood up and slowly headed towards the balcony, which displayed the most beautiful view over his city.

Another few days had passed before a guard came running into the throne room, telling the pair of rulers that their son's ship alongside with some follow-up ships, containing the as treacherous soldiers had been spotted, entering the City Harbour from the southeastern coast.

The Prince himself couldn't have been prouder of his work. He had managed to prevent his own downfall, and now only glory would await him when his parents would pass away, and he would take over the throne.

Ohh, how he couldn't wait to kick out the advisors, and council members, and punish the people in the province who had called his prematurely birth and further health issues for the "bad omen for the Lord and the Lady."

While he knew that his homecoming wouldn't be celebrated due to his parents and the city people not knowing about the details about his absence, he was quite shocked when he heard booing from the shores.

He frowned even more when his ship had docked, and he, after having walked down the walking plank was met by his parents alongside with Master Taxin, General Ox, the Soothsayer, and the rest of the city council on the docks.

"Greetings everyone, I didn't know that my successful journey had reached home, but while I do appreciate the effort of welcoming me home, I do seek to rest as the trip to Xiong is very long and challenging," Shen greeted the people apparently waiting for him, but frowned when he didn't get any response but the hand of his father held out in front of him.

"I'm afraid that you can't get any further, son," his father stated coldly.

"What is this?" Shen asked confused as he eyed his mother trying to see if she could tell him, but gazed back at this father when the Lord of Gongmen City cleared his throat.

"Shen, a few days ago, we received a scroll from the ruler of the Xiong Province, telling about the horrible ambush that you and your fellows committed. For whatever reason behind that, not only did you falsely proclaim that we were at war against the Xiongs, you also threatened our General and turned his own men against him, and that can simply not be forgiven."

Taking a deep breathe, Kongque didn't wait for his son's response, and tightly closed his eyes before continuing;

"I hereby declare that Prince Shen has been taken out of the line as the heir to the throne of Gongmen City and will forever be banished from the Gongmen Province in order to avoid the execution of him."

Not being able to speak, Shen's mouth stood open and he slowly shook his head. Of all people, and his parents had decided to turn their backs on him, and for what? To avoid execution? As if the Government couldn't be stopped by the further inventions he had planned.

"Y..you can't! I'm the Prince! I'm the future ruler of Gongmen City!" Shen roared out, finding his voice again and now making his rage clear.

"I'm afraid so, son. Your mother and I didn't have any choice." His father declared without any hint of it being some kind of sick joke.

"And the banishment goes for you as well," Lady Nuwang declared towards the soldiers that had joined behind Shen.

Shaking in rage, Shen swiftly gazed between his mother and father.

"I will return. I will come back, and when I do, I will be more powerful than ever, and all of China will bow at my feet!"

That were the last words the now former Prince ever spoke to his parents before he turned around and shouted at his men to prepare and set sail again.

* * *

Chinese Village, Storybrooke:

"So, I promised mom and grandpa to return the page to Mr. Gold later today and apologize."

Mei looked a little nervous around in the group that now beside from the original six, two more had joined over the past weeks.

After having led both Henry and Violet more into what was going on, and the reason behind their recent actions, and while Henry certainly didn't agree in their methods since it had hurt his mother at one point, he now, after having heard the story in full detail understood their desperation and wanted to help them.

"The plan is cancelled then?" Nuan asked, brushing her long black hair back from her face.

"It is, I'm sorry for putting you through all this, especially you guys," Mei apologetically nodded towards Zan and Bo who both seemed to shrug it off.

"Don't worry about it, and we should actually thank you, I wouldn't dare going back to Mr. Gold's shop, especially not after what Henry told us."

"He's not that bad, he's my grandpa after all, if you want, Mei, I can return it to him," Henry suggested encouragely.

"It's okay, Henry, I will do it thought. I feel like it's my responsibility since I'm the one who got you all in this mess, I hope your mother hasn't been too angry at you," Mei apologised.

"Nah, neither she or Regina know that I'm here, so it's all fine," Henry shrugged off, hands in his pockets.

"Speaking of the Dragon Warrior, Grandpa told me something yesterday, and -" Mei suddenly blurted out, making Henry frown. From what he could tell of all the stories he had heard some days ago, the Dragon Warrior wasn't with them anymore.

"But wasn't he gone?" Violet asked confused, interrupting Mei's sentence, but Mei seemed to ignore that.

"Henry don't you know?" Mei asked turning to Henry, wondering why _he_ didn't know, after all, it was his mother she was talking about!

"Know what?" Henry asked even more confused now.

"She hasn't told you then," Mei concluded in a whisper, but loud enough for Henry to catch it.

"Who hasn't told me?"

"Henry, your mother, Emma. In our world, we call it the Dragon Warrior, in yours, it's the Savior!"

Henry's eyes widened at this. Did his mother know about this? And why hadn't she told him?

"And my grandfather, Wugui, as you know is named Oogway in our world told about his training sessions with her and -"

"WHAT?!"

Henry's exclaim was almost loud enough to be heard from Main Street, making all in the group covering their ears for a moment.

"I guess she hasn't told you?" Nuan asked quietly, and Henry only shaking his head gave her the answer.

"N...no, no, she hasn't," Henry finally stuttered out, clearly in shock of his mother having kept this from him. And training sessions? What was that all about?

Not really catching the seriousness in the atmosphere, one of the younger kids got up: "We want to hear more!"

Looking unsurely at Henry at first, Mei cleared her throat before continuing;

"Well, he told that...Wait a second," Mei trailed off and got up and slowly went to Henry.

"Give us two minutes?" She asked the rest of the group, and beside from Violet it seemed like the rest of the group caught on what Mei was doing, and they all nodded.

"Henry, Violet, both of you, come with me for second," Mei guided them outside of the room in the small basement and out at the small staircase leading up to the first floor, closing the door behind her.

"Do you remember what I told you guys back when we introduced to the story about the last Dragon Warrior and the connection to the Nightingale?" Mei asked Henry, clearly nervous, and Henry couldn't help feeling his own heart beat more and more when he thought back and then his eyes widened;

"Mei?" He stuttered out nervously.

"Henry, my grandfather told me something yesterday of a vision he had, and if that's true..." Mei trailed off.

"No," was the only think Henry could manage to whisper as he realised what exactly was happening.

"I'm sorry," Henry only managed to mutter before he suddenly flew up the stairs and by the sounds of it, leaving the house.

"Do you think he's okay?" Mei asked Violet as the two girls stood left behind, both looking up at the stairs.

"I don't know. I've only known this family for a couple of years now, and from what I've come to know, Henry and Emma are really, really close, so I can imagine him being really disappointed and hurt of her keeping this from him, and not to mention, really worried now," Violet told her and shifted her gaze to Mei, "How long have your grandfather worked with Emma?"

"At least a couple of weeks," Mei answered and took a heavy breathe. "What a mess," she concluded silently. "Go after him, I'll tell the others what happened," Mei nodded towards the stairs.

Violet didn't need to be told twice and raced up almost as quick as Henry did before.

"Henry!"

Henry had just gone outside when he heard Violet's voice calling out his name behind him.

"Hey, are you okay?" Violet asked her boyfriend, laying a hand on his shoulder.

Fighting the urge to shrug off her hand and snear at her, Henry took a deep breathe; "I don't know," he stuttered out, "I don't know," he repeated and began walking away from her. He had to get away and think.

"Violet, listen, I have to think for myself for a bit. It's nothing personally, but I want to be alone right now, okay?" He pleaded her, smiling when he got a small sigh and a nod, "I understand, Henry, I'll just head back to the group," she added, and went inside the house, leaving Henry alone.

With hands in his pockets, Henry began the quite long walk towards the docks which wasn't that far from here. He needed to talk to someone, and he knew exactly who.

* * *

Storybrooke, at the docks.

"Singing yo-ho...da da da da. There you go, girl, all cleaned up and ready for tomorrow."

Looking up and down and from side to side, Killian nodded proudly at his hard work of cleaning the entire Jolly Roger. Having spend almost three hours on nothing but sweeping, scrubbing, and lacquering, his much beloved ship was now ready for it to be the very spot for one of his best friend's bachelor party.

Henry had come up with the idea after the last trip back when they took the small weekend trip out. Sighing to himself, Killian couldn't help but feel a nag in his guts when thinking back at that time. While he had indeed enjoyed being out on open sea again alongside with Robin, Henry and Violet, he also remembered it being a slight escape from keeping the secret about Mei from Emma back then.

The hours that had been spend on cleaning his ship could somewhat be described as an escape too as Emma had been far from happy this morning. Apparently her moods swings were back some, and he hadn't dared to say it out loud, but the thought of sending her off alongside with her mother, Snow, and a clueless Regina off to downtown Boston this morning was almost, ALMOST a relief, thinking of.

While he was quite curious on what in the world those three had planned for the former Evil Queen since it was kept very secretly, and everytime he would ask for further details from either of the ladies, they would keep their mouths shut, but giggle through their straight lips shortly afterwards, he was also quite worried for his wife.

He could not describe the utter horror that went through him when Snow had brought Emma home the other day and had told him about how Emma had fainted yet again.

Emma seemed somewhat fine when she and her mother had entered their home, but he also knew her well enough that she still had some issues with displaying weaknesses, and to be true, who doesn't?

Killian remembered being close to ask Emma to tell her mother about the whole ideal with the whole kung fu-thing that he himself had yet to wrap his mind around, but he also knew that Emma would probably refuse, and it would lead to a confrontation where Snow wouldn't leave before Emma had explained every single detail, and he was afraid it would lead to her stress level raising to the sky and risk yet another fainting spell.

The morning after, he had stayed in bed with her in the early hours, knowing that David took the morning shift as he as well had heard about what had happened. He hadn't said anything, just laid there, having her in his arms, cuddling and just showing her that he was there for her and their unborn child.

He knew that he couldn't force the details out of her, but at the same time, he could feel that she was on to something. Over the years of knowing her, he had learned the signs. The silence, the blank stare, the tightening of her fists, and then, as she had done it that morning, she would suddenly just get up and leave. Here it was for the bathroom though, but Killian knew that she was thinking of something.

"Waow, she's looking great!"

Killian was interrupted in his thoughts by Henry who seemingly had sneaked up behind him as it gave him a slight jump.

"Oh, hey there, lad, didn't see you there," Killian tried to brush off, but it must have been visible since the lad just smirked and shrugged.

Speaking of acting weird. Henry was certainly Emma's son when it came to that, and would you know it? He wasn't any different these days than his mother.

At first, Killian thought it was due to the embarrassment of the school wanting him to take yet another year before graduating as going to the Underworld, defeating the Evil Queen, and breaking yet another damn curse apparently didn't count as merit, but as it had turned out, it wasn't that, but just like his mother, there was something hidden behind that smile, but Henry wasn't as 'trained' as Emma and the signs here were easier to spot.

With Henry, it was somewhat the opposite though. Instead of the silence, he would go for talking a lot, about everything and nothing. Killian had noticed how the lad would be more clingy as if to prove that he wasn't up to something and that he was 'on'.

"Are we still going with the plan?"

Yet again, Henry managed to make Killian jump slightly as he had been caught in his thoughts a second time, and this time, Henry noticed.

"Hey, you okay there Killian?"

"Yeah, I'm quite well, don't you worry, lad."

Maybe if a silence moment occurred, he could talk with him.

"You just seem a little out of it, sure nothing's wrong?" Henry asked unsurely.

'I could ask you the same, ladm,' Killian thought to himself as he went to the teenager and laid an arm around the young boy, grabbing his shoulder and pat him lightly on the chest with the hook. "So, are you up for a burger at Granny's? I sure could" Killian asked while pulling his hand back, and drew sweat away from his forehead with it.

"That sounds amazing!" Henry happily cheered on, but still, Killian could feel that something was off with the young lad.

The silence between the two was awkward to say the least.

Henry had tried once their meal had been served to seek out how much Killian knew, but he found it hard to simply formulate the question without revealing that he himself had been keeping a secret. So far, he had tricked both of his mothers and the rest of his family to think he was with either of them or with Violet when he really was meeting with Mei and the others, along with Violet.

Finally, Henry felt that he had gathered himself enough to talk, but of course that had to be the same moment that David chose to walk into the diner, spot the two of them and sat down beside Killian and ordered a burger himself before anyone could say 'Rumplestilskin.'

Killian was one thing, but with his grandfather now sitting opposite of him too, Henry decided to let the subject go for now.

* * *

Somewhere on the highway towards Boston:

"Come on, ladies, just some kind of a hint!"

"Why sis? Too anxious of what we have planned?"

"I'm not _anxious,_ I'm just...trying to prepare, that's all."

"Don't worry Regina, it's not going to be anything embarrassing...for us."

Apparently she had fallen asleep during the ride as the voices of Regina, Zelena and her mother was rosing her from her slumber on the backseat.

They had left early this morning, and despite her mother's worries due to her fainting spell last week, Emma had shrugged it off and assured that she was fine. She was glad though that her mother had announced that despite it being Regina's bachelor and that they were in for a girl's night out in that she would be driving both trips and therefore join Emma in being non-alcoholic throughout the evening.

"Well, look who decided to join the rest of us?"

The voice of Zelena sitting beside her made Emma blink a couple of times before sitting more up. Her back was aching, and for some reason she just felt annoyed at everything.

As if she could feel it too, Snow tried to get a glimpse of her in the rear-view mirror, "want to take a break, Emma?" She asked trying not to sound too much like an over-concerned mother, but with the recent happenings, she wouldn't risk anything regarding Emma's health.

"I could use a cup of coffee to be honest," Zelena broke in when Emm didn't gave an answer, and catching that Zelena gave the answer for her, Snow drove in at the next stop.

Maybe it was the soreness, maybe it was the tiredness, maybe it was because it was weeks ago, but for whatever reason, Emma didn't notice that the cafeteria they had stopped by was the exact same that she herself had been in back when she had driven alone to Boston to meet the couple which back then hadn't decided yet whether to buy her old place in Boston or not.

It was first when Emma had casually turned around from her mother and the two sisters ordering their coffees to look at the bulletin board where different tourist-attractions and local services where set up that a slightly hidden article caught her attention;

 _"Who laid the roses?"_ The title read, and Emma's eyes widened after removing the other papers that covered the small article so she read further.

The article described the car accident that caused a young girl's death. Shortly after that, the family had visited the area and had been quite surprised to find a bouquet of roses lying by some of the wreck pieces that hadn't been removed.

Memories from that day crossed Emma's mind like a small film; of her driving here on her way to Boston, seeing the family here, the memories from meeting Caroline and Michael, the visit to the clinic, the scream from the mother.

All of sudden flashes from her memories from the Wish Realm interrupted her vision and sort of replaced the memories from that day. Now she instead saw flashes of her picking flowers in the forest while humming, celebrating her birthday at the palace, and so on.

Everything just seemed to be in one blur, and then it all disappeared in one flash and for a moment black spots appeared in her vision and she found herself having to lend her hand on the bulletin board in order to regain her balance.

"Ma'am are you okay?"

The worried question from the servitrice behind the counter, headed for someone behind them made both Snow, Regina, and Zelena turn around to see Emma supporting herself.

Like a flash, Snow was by her daughter's side instantly.

"Sweetheart?" She asked worried and held onto Emma's other arm.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, thank you," Emma managed to answer the cafe worker, and stood more up to show it. Snow didn't buy it as quickly as the worker did, and neither did Regina or Zelena who both stood behind in the line, but kept their gaze towards their friend.

"Come on, honey, sit down, I will get you some coffee," Snow assured her daughter and guided her towards one of the tables.

"Mom, I'm fine, seriously," Emma croaked, keeping the mother part down so that people around them didn't caught that. Emma sighed deeply, this could very well become a very long day.

* * *

Gongmen City, present time:

Jian grunted in annoyance when his wrists ached from the handcuffs that were chained to one pillars in the throne room. He had given up struggling a long time ago, even way before the first night he spend here.

Years ago he had watched his village being destroyed, his family being split and sent away to another realm, leaving him alone in the city, only to be imprisoned by Shen for four years where he had watched all sorts of horror happening in the prison, and in the city where he had been enslaved alongside the rest of most of the city's people.

The air was cold and from what he could tell, this was yet another night where the sky was almost black, but with no stars. Oogway had called it back then, it would only lead to darkness...

Not far from him, Bai was sitting at her spot, eying him occasionally. For the last couple of days, he had been led back to spend the night in his prison cell, but tonight was different for reasons none of them knew.

Bai knew that asking the boy how he was would be ridiculous. You could tell from watching him, and who would blame him? The boy had lost everything and had been through things a child in its early teens never should have experienced.

"Why does he want me to keep trying?" Jian asked suddenly. After Shen had left the throne room to his sleeping quarters and up until now, they boy hadn't said a word. Bai looked up and eyed the boy sitting across from her in the other end of the room. Shen's apparent fear of them trying to work together for an escape had made him seperate the two of them in each end of the room.

Bai didn't need further explanation for what he was talking about. Gazing towards the small birdcage hanging from the ceiling and above the golden throne, carved like the tail of a peacock, she sighed deeply.

For days, Bai had only been able to watch in horror as Shen had brutally forced the boy to try and make the brown bird sing again. Bai remembered that time and what the song could do, but she also knew why it wasn't singing anymore. Instead it would make these horrible shrieking sounds from time to time as if an expression of frustration and as if it tried to reach out to someone, and Bai knew exactly who: the Dragon Warrior.

"I mean, why does he assume that because my father was the Dragon Warrior that I'm able to make the Nightingale sing again?" Jian asked out again and sat back against the pillar he was chained to. At least there was enough slack on the chains for him to move around some and being able to sit straight with support in the back was one of the possibilities.

"He must assume that the power to make it sing passes down from the genes," Bai suggested and chuckled at herself for making such an obvious statement.

Not answering, Jian laid his head back against the cold marble surface and closed his eyes. A memory from when he was brought here the first time came to mind and his eyes flew open.

The action caused Bai to lift her eyebrows as she watched the young child turning his gaze towards her;

"You remember the day the guards brought me up here, right?" He asked the older woman who only nodded back at him.

"You said something...It was about the Nightingale and...but if my father is not alive, does it mean that...Does it mean there's someone who has taken after him?" Jian seemed to conclude by himself while he asked her the question.

Sinking for a moment, Bai nodded and gave a small smile in return as the boy's face lit up.

"As you saw in my fortelling for Shen the same day, there is a warrior from far, far away, destined to defeat Shen, but..."

Bai trailed off as she turned her eyes back to the birdcage. The small brown bird was now asleep, but she could tell that the poor thing was weak.

Jian followed her gaze and he sighed when he caught on what she meant, and he closed his eyes, and was about to sit back when his eyes opened again, and they were flashing with determination.

"We have to find him," Jian concluded and turned towards Bai.

"Her," Bai corrected and gave him a small smile;

"Whatever," Jian shook his head and kept staring at her; "we are both going to get out of here, and find her," Jian told her without any hint of hesitation in his voice.

Bai watched the young boy with admiration, it was without a doubt inspiring to experience an otherwise broken soul to see the light;

"Do you know where she is?"Jian asked her hopefully, interrupting her in her thoughts.

"I do indeed, she's...She's in the same land which Shen banished the rest of your family along with your people to," Bai explained and smiled even more when that seemed to wake the boy even more:

"That means that we can save them too and bring them back home!" He almost exclaimed out in the room, and Bai couldn't help but chuckle along, "it does indeed, child," and with that, Bai decided that she was going to help him, and his people. They were going to bring the Dragon Warrior here and defeat Shen once and for all.

Little did they know. On the staircase leading down to floor below, a certain grey-haired man stood, listening and smiled to himself. He knew the boy would make the Soothsayer spill the beans. He turned around and began heading back towards his sleeping quarters, already planning on getting to the exact same land that he banished the people from Peace Village all these years ago.

* * *

Storybrooke, the open ocean;

"WAHOO! This is the coolest thing ever! WOOOO!"

The shouts coming from above made all three men on deck laugh and give light hits to each others shoulders as they watched their friend and the soon-to-be-wed Robin Hood standing on the topsail yard with his legs tied to the mast and his arms out spread out in the air as he had been advised to do from the this crews youngest member.

"This was a great idea, lad," Killian laughed patting Henry on the shoulder once again and turned towards the helm to steer the Jolly Roger as she was beginning to go a little out of course.

"How long should we have him up there?" David asked as he looked up, squinting some when the sun rays hit his eyes.

"Give it a few more minutes, and...ehhh, lad, I would really appreciate if you didn't do that," Killian quickly left the helm to stop Henry in taking a picture with his smartphone, "I'm really glad that my heart is in my chest, and I would like it to stay so," he winked at the teen and Henry got the message and showed his phone back in his pocket.

"Why don't you go and steer the ship and I'll get our outlaw back to the deck, aye?" Killian suggested and lightly pushed Henry towards the helm and turned around to climb up the mast.

David joined Henry and for a while a slightly awkward silence fell upon them, just like it did with him and Killian the day before.

"So, Henry, what's up?" David cringed inwardly at his own really poor attempt to start a conversation. Clearing his throat, he collected his arms and stood more fiercly behind the boy and gazed out in the horisont. Despite the weather being mildly cloudy, it was still beautiful.

An answer never came from the teen, and David looked down at Henry, he frowned when it seemed that Henry was locked in his own thoughts, "hey, Henry are you okay there?" He asked the younger man and laid a hand on his shoulder.

Henry jumped startled from the touch, "oh, hey Grams, yeah, I'm fine, why shouldn't I be?" Henry scrambled together really poorly while gazing between David and out in front of him, 'great," he thought to himself as he watched David frown even more at him. "You seem a little off, sure there's nothing bothering you?" David asked further lifting an eyebrow.

Sighing deeply Henry dropped his head for a moment, and David had to fight the slight annoyance he felt when they were interrupted by the voices of Killian and Robin who both joined them with loud laughing and shouting.

'Great escape,' Henry thought to himself, but groaned invardly when he got a look from David telling him, 'we'll talk about this later,'.

"So, Robin, I offically welcome you in the group for people having stood on the top of the Jolly Roger, so is the bowsprit next? You can join my mother and Violet in that as well," Henry suggested as he thought back to the recent trip where it was Violet who had tried standing on the bow like his mother did about two months before.

"Nah, I think it'll do, besides, I've promised to spare Killian's heart and soul by not telling too much to my upcoming wife," Robin laughed as Killian drew his hand across his forehead in a relieved gesture. "I really appreciate that, mate," the former pirate laughed along and pat his friend on the shoulder in a manly way.

"How about we set anchor and go down and get some drinks and snacks, aye?" Killian suggested which was received with confirming nods, "I could certainly use a cold beer now!" Robin announced still clearly high on adrenaline. "Man that was the most incredible experience! I can't wait to tell Regina!" He continued, making Killian cringe, "perhaps we could wait a little with that, aye, mate?" Killian laughed unsurely, patting Robin on the back as they headed over to the anchor.

Henry followed the two men with his eyes and shook his head lightly while laughing. Having two mothers, it felt like having two fathers as well when it came to them, and speaking of a potential third father, or more like his very young grandfather, his shoulder was nodged, and he turned around to face a still somewhat concerned David.

"I'm fine, gramps, really," he told David and quickly went with Robin and David before the prince even had a chance to say anything.

"If you say so, kid," David murmured under his breath, before following the teenager.

* * *

Boston, downtown:

"You can't be serious!"

It was only because of having actually experienced her as that the three women in front of Regina believed that she was the former Evil Queen. Her shell shocked expression was worth millions and they all had quite the challenge not to laugh out hysterically.

"It's only for one hours and we're going to have a blast eating dinner at The Capital Grille," Snow assured her, and bit her lip to keep her face straight.

"Only for one hour?!" Regina hissed as she kept her arms crossed while looking at the sign Zelena was holding with disgust.

"You want me to have random, probably nasty guys to kiss me and 'only' for two house? What has gotten into you?!"

"Come on, Regina, you can chase all the nasty guys away with that death stare of yours and only let the handsome ones in," Emma causally shrugged off and placed the sign, saying 'kiss me, while you can! (only on the cheek) I'm about to get married!' with big black painted letters.

Bending down, Emma had a little struggle getting the three pointing signs for her mother, Zelena and herself.

The Boston citizens were passing by from each side in what seemed to be unending, especially when coming from Storybrooke that only had so many living there. It was only when shootings from three women, one with long red curly hair, one with short and black, and the last with long blond locks, all standing with cardboard signs pointing towards an otherwise formally dressed woman in the middle of the pedestrian street, also with a cardboard sign in her hands with a quite perplexed look on her face.

It took a couple of minutes before the first guy took on the opportunity to go ahead. "Man, I'm jealous of the guy marrying you, you're gorgeous!" After having placed the quick kiss on her cheek, he caught her glaring eyes and he gulped heavily, "on the other hand..."

Once again, Emma, Snow, and Zelena had to fight in not breaking out laughing. The image of Regina in this situation was worth gold, and it only increased as more guys joined in.

"Emma?"

A voice from the crowd of people made Emma shot her gaze on a woman she didn't recognized at first, and it seemed that the for Emma strange woman could see that as she added, "you don't remember me? It's me, Caroline," and at that, Emma shook her head quickly and blinked a couple of times as the recognosation hit her.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry! I do now, hello there!" Emma greeted the chestnut haired woman and dropped the sign in her hand and gave her a quick hug, "oh, I see things have happened since then," Caroline nodded towards Emma's grown stomach and Emma smiled while nodding,"oh yes they have," she added and let one hand cover her bump.

"How far are you?" Caroline asked curiously and stepped back some, "about 17 weeks," Emma answered nodding afterwards and smiled brightly at the woman in front of her. "Wait, 17 weeks..." Caroline trailed off as she began counting in her head, "that means you were expecting when we met, weren't you?" "That was actually the day that I found out, after our meeting," Emma told her, and continued, "I went to the doctors afterwards here in Boston before I headed home, and they confirmed it".

Caroline frowned at Emma for a moment, before she carefully asked; "that was the reason for wanting to push the meeting back then wasn't it? I'm sorry we caused you any trouble back then," Caroline apologized and laid a hand on Emma's shoulder. "Don't worry, I was quite sick yes, but I figured out with my husband how to manage the trip and such, so...And it turned out well, nothing happened," Emma concluded and decided not to mention that she had been really sick the day before and in the morning.

"Is your husband here?" Caroline asked while looking around. "No, he's not. Actually we're hosting my friend's bachelor party," Emma told the other woman and nodded towards Regina, and had to fight back a chuckle as yet another man had taken the opportunity. "Oh, I see," Caroline trailed off, and jumped slightly when a hand landed on her shoulder and she turned back to see her husband, Michael had joined.

"Hey there, babe, who are you?...Oh! Emma! Hello there," the sandy haired man cheerfully greeted and went for to hug Emma as well. "Yeah, I just saw Emma standing here, she's here for her friend's bachelor party," Caroline explained and nodded towards Regina who still stood out in the middle of the street.

"Oh waow!" Michael impressively breathed out only to get a nudge on the elbow, "I'm sorry, honey, you're much prettier, no offense!" Michael awkwardly shifted from his wife and towards Emma in order to ensure that it wasn't personally mended on her friend.

Emma just laughed some and shook her head and waved it off with her hand, "you can go ahead if you want," "Emma!" Caroline in a clearly fake offended matter, and Michael gave Emma a quick wink before heading towards Regina. "I can't believe him! Someone is sleeping on the sofa tonight, and it's not Jimmy," Caroline muttered under her breath.

Just watching the scene playing along, Emma just smiled to herself and couldn't help but think how well Killian and Michael would fit with each other and quite probably form a strong friendship if given the opportunity.

"How is he? Jimmy?" Emma asked Caroline, both from common curiosity, but also from having someone other than her mother and Zelena to talk about babies and such.

"He is doing wonderful! He's actually in the kindergarten right now, the one which you talked about when we met, and we're really happy with that arrangement," Caroline exicdelty answered, and groaned when Michael rejoined them and gave his own wife a quick kiss to what Emma assumed was to ease the 'tension'.

"Anyway, it was so great to see you again Emma, and we're really happy living in your old place. You're more than welcome to visit, especially when he or she is coming," Caroline smiled at the blonde before they embraced yet again and said their goodbyes before the couple left on.

"Who were they?"

Emma was pulled out of her small trance of watching Caroline and Michael leave and turned her gaze to meet her mother's curious stare at the couple walking away.

"Oh, it was the pair who bought my old place, you know, those I met up with back then," Emma briefly introduced and bend down to pick up the arrow formed sign.

"I see," Snow nodded along and turned back to her daughter, "I've talked with Zelena, maybe we should take Regina off duty now, or else I'm afraid that she'll try and remember some sort of spell that she can use here and incinerate those poor men," Snow explained and Emma couldn't help but giggle along, "I think your observation is spot on, let's get going," Emma nodded and went after Snow who was already heading towards Regina.

Emma smiled to herself and looked along the way that Caroline and Michael had gone. She remembered in her old life here how lonely she was and how she deep inside missed a dear friend or two two she on the outside acted tough and as if she was fine alone.

Now she had found her family and had gathered a good amount of friends in Storybrooke, but to have just some in Boston as well gave her a warm feeling.

A flash of her from the false memory of her sitting and eating with Henry suddenly interrupted her mind. Along with that memories from her life in the Wish Realm came in as well. Memories now mixed with each other and as they all seemed to gather in her mind in a one big blur to suddenly disappear in one big flash made Emma bend over as she came back to reality.

Her legs suddenly felt like jello and she tried to grab something to hold on to, but standing in the middle of the street, there was nothing to support her. Her vision got blurry and Emma found herself on her knees, hands on the ground, panting heavily as if she had just run 10 miles at full speed without stopping.

She could feel a burning sensation in her upper belly area and while she knew that it was just heartburn from which Dr. Whale had told her that she would experience, she knew that something else was going on.

A caring hand landed on her shoulder and Emma looked up to see a strange older, brunette having squatted down, looking worried at her, "are you okay?" The stranger asked her, and Emma could only smile back at her.

Helping her stand up, the strange woman looked even more worried now the she could see that she was pregnant. "Are you sure dear? Should we call an ambulance for you?" She asked the younger blonde and held on to her arm in case she would faint.

"I'm fine, thank you, I really am, I think I just tripped," Emma tried to assure the brunette, but the older woman didn't seem confident.

"Emma!"

'Oh great, here we go again,' Emma thought to herself feeling quite annoyed all of sudden. She knew that people just wanted to help, but had they ever heard of the personal bubble? Apparently not, because now she was crowded by three other women, them being her mother, Regina, and Zelena who by now, apparently had seen her being helped by the strange woman.

"You know her?" The stranger asked the three.

"Yeah I'm her mo-." "Friends," Emma interrupted, cursing her mother inwardly for not having caught on to that the mother-part would be extremely weird when not knowing their history.

"They're my friends, and as I said, I just tripped, thank you for helping me, I really appreciate it, but I'm fine," Emma assured the woman yet again, trying not to sound too annoyed.

"Alright then, take care," the woman nodded and gave a dear smile before leaving the group.

"Thank God," Emma mumbled and had to fight the urge to roll her eyes when one concerned human being now was replaced by three. One of them being her over concerned mother.

"Mom! I'm fine!" She found herself yelling out in the open before she could stop herself. So much for her trying to keep the mother-part hidden now that some people around them stopped up and looked strangely at them.

"Oh, would you..." Emma sighed deeply as she turned around and went to sit down on a bench. The heartburn was still there and so was the annoyance of, yeah well, everything!

"Emma, hey, sweetheart, look at me," Snow sat down beside her, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, mom, and you too Regina," Emma apologised when she looked at both her mother and at Regina standing in front of her.

"It's okay, Emma, we were just worried that you were hurt," Regina assured her friend and laid a caring hand on her other shoulder.

"I don't know what came over me, but hey, should we keep going? I know we ordered the table later, but maybe we can sit in the bar or something?" Emma stood up, feeling the annoyance go away and replaced with a light cheerfulness.

"Emma, listen, as much as I looked forward to fine dining later today, I'm perfectly fine if we head home," Regina assured and gazed upon both Snow and Zelena who both nodded in agreement. "Emma, I think Regina's right -," Snow tried as well, but only gave a slight smile in return when Emma shook her hand and quite clearly tried to brush their worries off.

"As I said, I'm fine, I just tripped. Suddenly having a stomach has made me terribly clumsy. There's nothing to worry about, and..." Emma trailed off when she looked behind her mother where she saw a familiar sign which she for some odd reason remembered having seen when she lived here before Henry brought her to Storybrooke.

"Of course," Emma breathed out and then looked at the three women now standing on each side and in front of her.

"Girls, I have the perfect idea," Emma announced and headed past them and towards the sign.

"The Boston Bodyworker" it said with an arrow on the sign, pointing to the left.

"They give the best massages and it'll give us something to do while making time go by," Emma suggested and lit up when all three women seemed to agree with the sudden arrangement at the spot.

"I could definitely use a good massage after this!" Regina stated and had Zelena following along with her claiming that standing that long with that sign in her hand had made her back sore, making Regina roll her eyes at her. As if Zelena had the harder time than she did!

Snow though was the only one who still seemed slight worried. An inner maternal voice told her that Emma hadn't 'just' tripped, but something else was going on. This was the second on a row that something weird had happened to her daughter, and she could feel her whole body shudder when she recalled Emma fainting in the living room just days before.

Watching her now, Snow could tell that Emma seemed better on the outside and that perhaps Regina and Zelena hadn't caught on to that or that they simply played along to have Emma going to a place where she could lie down.

Deciding to let it go for now, Snow shook herself out of her thoughts and joined their small group, claiming that she was on as well, and so they went on towards the massage clinic to have an otherwise hilarious day go on until they headed home tonight.

* * *

 **My sincerest apology for being a snail here! I don't know if there's actually people following this anymore as I've been really, really slow in updating this.**

 **So, this is yet another one of the long chapters and so they're more and less going to be. A lot is going to happen and I've caught myself in having to make it somewhat realistic that a week passes by for each chapter, and it have caught up to me in a way that maybe have me overthink things, but does it seem 'realistic' to you?**

 **My motivation for this story has also had its downgrades during the last period of time as I have many more plotlines and stories in my mind, and I've kinda locked myself in a 40+ chapter story with this one, so I hope that you can 'accept' that maybe the updates on this one will be a little rarer, but! It will contain long chapters that can make it up to that time.**

 **I don't think I have anything else to say. I've tried lighten the mood in this story a little as there is more heavy and serious content on its way, but I'll try to keep a good variety so it doesn't go down on being way too serious.**

 **Other than that, I hope that those who still follow this (and I love you all to bits!) will enjoy this chapter and continue following along! :)**

 **Flaxen.**


	19. The Peacock

**The Peacock**

 **Week 18: July:**

 **Your body:** _This is the week when a miracle will begin showing, Savior. At first it will be some weird bubbly feelings, but soon they would become more obvious. Fetal movements. Tiny feet, elbows, and knees can be spotted moving across your belly, isn't it amazing? Not even 20 weeks along, and you'll already begin to feel your baby inside move! But you should be aware. Your cardiovascular system is undergoing dramatic changes, and during this trimester your blood pressure will probably be lower than usual. Don't spring up too fast from a lying position as you might feel a little dizzy._

 **Your baby:** _This week is also the beginning of ossification, which is a medical term for the hardening of your baby's miniature bones, and that's a good thing. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around the nerves, a process that will continue for a year after it's born. The pads of the fingers and toes are formed, and the fingerprints are developing as well. Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long, about the length of a bell pepper, and weighs almost 7 ounces this week._

* * *

Gongmen City, China, the past:

Ever since the Prince had been banished, and the passing of the Lord and Lady of the Gongmen Province, Master Taxin, alongside his two best comrades and the city council had protected the Palace, and had continued on taking care of the people, the province and the trades from all sides of the country.

It had been 20 years since the genocide which Prince Shen had led, which still today horrified the people of the city and the tale had spread across the country like wildfire, and it had almost taken the exact years to recreate the City's name as the one of the most beautiful and peaceful places of all of China.

The horrific tale of the peaceful village being burned to the ground by the heir of Gongmen City would still cast a shadow over the land from time to time, but it had indeed faded since then.

The Government had acknowledged Shen's banishment as a right full punishment, though some did try and fight more for the execution of him, but since the whereabouts of the former ruler of Gongmen City was unknown ever since the young man sailed away with his men, even those who were most dedicated to bring the man to justice by death had taken their claims back.

It wasn't even 2 years after Shen's banishment that the Lord and the Lady sadly passed away together. It was told that their sorrow of losing their son took them in their sleep, and a beautiful ceremony was arranged to put them to rest in the palace grounds days after.

Not much had happened since the two rulers were buried, and Master Taxin continued on training young soldiers and warriors in Kung Fu as he had been taught by the great Kung Fu Master Oogway, the very creator of the most used martial art in China.

Today was no different. While standing tall and fierce with his legendary cloud hammer, a large hammer consisting of a large stone block attached to a thick pole, earning its name from the swirling cloud patterns carved into the surface, he watched with proud as the two of his best warriors, General Ox and Master Croc had a friendly battle, he shouted out comments here and there, but otherwise let the two of them fight for practice.

While the two were jumping around, dodging the others strikes, making the sound of sharp weapons clinging being heard across the entire palace area, Taxin looked up at the sky and frowned.

Normally the sky would be clear and blue during this time of day, but it was like a shade of red was blending in, and it was as if the sky was warning him.

He looked down at the Soothsayer Bai, who was sitting at the bottom of the podium they had made in order to avoid using the platforms leading to the closed off tower.

She seemed calm enough, so maybe it was just him overthinking things, but still he couldn't ignore the feeling that something was off.

The answer came when the heavy wooden gate the only way leading inside the palace grounds was swiftly forced open as if it had just been a thin door.

All attention from the fight was instantly turned towards the small thin figure who calmly walked up towards them. First it was hard to tell who it was, but when he came closer, there was no doubt:

"Shen?" They all spoke out in shock of seeing the former banished heir to the Gongmen throne boldly walked up to them. The smirk on his face left them no doubt of what he was here for, but there was no way that they would hand it to him.

"Good afternoon gentlemen! Now we have gotten the pleasantries out of the way, please leave my house!" Shen gestured with his hand back towards the gate and stopped up.

Wearing a shiny grey cloak, clearly made of fine, fine silk, it was clear that financinal, he had not been in trouble the last decades.

"You were banished from ever entering this city again, Shen. Gongmen City is under the protection of the city council and we'll guard it, even from you," Master Taxin calmly braced himself against his earlier student.

"Gongmen City is mine!" Shen roared angrily, "I'm heir to the throne! A simple statement from my father does not change that!" He continued, clearly enraged. Shen's temperament had always been short, and now was no exception.

"It was documented the day you was banished, Shen. Your father saved you from execution! Now, respect your parents who are resting here, and leave, or we will gladly escort you out," Taxin responded, still calm as he knew that Shen's kung fu was too weak to fight any of them.

Taxin frowned though when the only response was Shen laughing at him. "Oh, Taxin, despite your eager to appear fierce and tough, you do have some humor, I must say," the thin man chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand.

"What's so funny Shen? The fact that you committed a genocide towards a non-threatening village or that your parents died in sorrow for their loss?" General Ox angrily broke in, having not the least forgotten the events that happened 20 years ago. He wanted oh so badly to jump down and kick that smeared grin from Shen's face.

"Their loss? They along with the council were fools who never saw my true potential!" Shen hissed, everything that would resemble a smile gone from his face.

General Ox smirked at this, and couldn't help himself, "your true potential? And what is that?"

"I'm so glad you asked," Shen spoke in a low tone and turned around, "bring it in! Now!" Shen commanded loudly to apparently no one, until two men pulling what seemed to be a very heavy wooden cart on two wheels, carrying a big, wooden box. At least six men walked beside them, clearly to show that Shen had back-up.

"You see, taking back my possession that easily wouldn't have been the same, especially since I would have brought that here for nothing," Shen gestured boldly towards the cart that was brought nearer and nearer.

"What's in that box, Shen?" Master Croc asked glaring at the grey-haired man standing below them.

"That's my gift for you! A parting gift though, as it will part you," Shen shrugged and continued as he pointed from left to right; "it'll part you here, it'll part you there, and it'll part you _way_ over there, staining the wall! Who wants to open?"

Shen then as quick as lightning turned around and raced towards the box and jumped on it, "I know that I'm no match for your kung fu, but this is."

With a quick flick with his foot, the wooden box opened and revealed a huge dragon formed cannon.

Before anyone could react, Shen had pointed the cannon at Master Taxin and lit the fuse, and only seconds after a plume of smoke flew out, shaped like peacock's wings as it spurted out. A huge cannonball shot out and straight towards the head kung fu master of Gongmen City, making a loud explosion as it impacted.

* * *

Storybrooke, the Sheriff station:

"You should have seen her face, David, it was hilarious! Why we didn't have any of taking any pictures is beyond me," Snow rambled on as she sat on the desk closest to the window, opposite from where her husband was sitting with Neal in her arms.

Apparently with summer vacation from the school, and that a bunch of girls where getting some pocket money for doing the stable work, her mother had decided on sitting here on a daily basis, bringing lunch from Granny's if they didn't went there themselves and talking like a waterfall while being here.

The lunch was nice, no doubt, but on the long run, Emma could feel that a headache was on its way to get worse today and her mother's babbling didn't help at all.

Her mood swings which she had experienced from last week had luckily dropped off some again, and she considered that good luck for her mother as the constant talking would have been a trigger for an explosion of annoyance.

Though she was sitting in her close of office, she still had been forced to let the doors be opened as the warmth from the summer would make the small room way to heated for her.

Tossing her pen lightly to the desk, she gave up on being anymore productive today and stretched her back, groaning as the movement gave her some relief.

Standing up, she slowly went out to the others and smiled at her mother who continued on talking while holding her baby brother who despite the noise above him was sleeping soundly in his mother's arms.

Emma leaned back slightly on the desk next to the one where Killian was sitting and just listened as her father now began talking about their trip with Robin. She smiled to herself when remembering back on when she along with her pirate and son had taken the Jolly Roger out for a similar tour. The wind, the water, the air, and that incredible adrenaline rush her husband had put them through - she remembered everything in the slightest detail.

Henry had already spoken about the bachelor party for Robin, but it had been very short-tempered from the otherwise happy-go-lucky kid, and while Emma did consider it could have been as simple as a tired teenager coming home and just wanting to sleep all day and do nothing, she did worry that maybe something else was bothering him.

A weird nudge in her stomach interrupted her in her thoughts and while she did feel like having an instinctive sense of what it was, she wanted to be sure. Closing her eyes she laid a hand on her stomach and waited...There! Her eyes shot open.

"Emma what's..." Snow had noticed her daughters slightly weird behavior and was about to ask further into it when Emma suddenly grabbed Killian's hand and placed on her grown belly.

"Love what are you...?" Killian asked lightly confused and looked as his gaze shifted between his hand and hers, but when it became clear that he indeed felt it too, his eyes lit up as well and a wide smile spread across his face, "is that?" He asked though he already knew and Emma's smile and slightly teary eyes confirmed it. "Well, hello there little one," he greeted, and stroke her stomach.

"Oh my!" Snow whined when she finally connected the dots and carefully handed Neal to David and almost sprung towards her daughter in pure joy.

"I guess Grandma wants to say hello as well," Killian winked at Snow and removed his hand to stroke his wife's cheek while Snow placed her own hand on her daughter's stomach, but frowned a little when nothing happened.

"Ah, come on, kid," Emma tried, but nothing happened.

"Guess it's a shy one, aye?" Killian suggested, but that didn't seem to light up the mood, but as Neal began waking up and babbled some, his small eyes lit up and his small hands reached out to Snow as she went to take over for her husband again.

"At least someone wants to say hello, right babe?" She cued at her youngest and took him in his arms.

Emma tried to stroke her belly to see if that would help getting baby to kick again so her mother could feel it, but again, nothing happened.

The conversation about the bachelor party and the upcoming wedding between the former Evil Queen and the outlaw continued on, and Emma found herself drifting off in her own thoughts again.

She hadn't forgotten about Wugui or Oogway as he was called in his homeland and the tasks she had been given to find 'inner peace', whatever that meant. Neither had she forgotten the dreams about the singing bird which had stopped coming to her in the nights for some weird reason. She hadn't visited The Secret Place ever since the last time she sat by the mirror clear water trying to meditate as she had been asked to practice on. Practice had been set aside during last week, and Wugui's whereabouts were still a mystery. If the man literally came from ancient China to here, she didn't expect him to be able to use a cellphone, and she hadn't visited the small village herself because of her either being too tired when coming home from a shift or simply having forgotten all about it.

Also, the recent events on the way to Boston and during Regina's bachelor event stood clear in her mind. She hadn't connected the dots so far, but she knew that the rush of memories that had flashed before her about her life in the Wish-realm and during the false life with Henry interrupting her mind meant something, but she didn't know how.

Another nudge in her stomach made her once again come back to reality and as before, she reached out to this time take her mother's hand, who at first didn't even seem to notice as Snow was in the middle of a very detailed description of the food they were served at the restaurant, but when another kick hit, Snow's eyes widened, her mouth opened wide and she stopped talking immediately. "Oh, Emma," was all she managed to get out before tears sprung in her eyes. Emma smiled dearly at her mother as the short-haired woman frantic tried to dry off her eyes without any luck. "I...I don't know why I...I'm like this, a..and, b...but it's so sweet, and pure," Snow's voice cracked as the lump in her throat seemed to grow too large for comfort.

The moment was interrupted by the sound of the front door of the Sheriffs station slamming and the Mayor herself almost running into the room.

"Regina? What's happening?" Emma asked, standing up immediately, the previous family moment forgotten almost by the second.

"Henry?! " Regina called out loud, clearly expecting the teenager to be in here. She didn't even seem to notice the four people in the room, where especially Emma was looking confused at her.

"He isn't? But wasn't he supposed to be with you?" Snow asked just as confused as the boy's mother as she had heard Emma talking about Henry being at Regina's.

Emma blinked a couple of times at the Mayor without saying anything. She looked down, and closed her eyes tightly. 'Dammit, kid,' she thought to herself. For a couple of days now, Henry had told her that he was at Regina's to hang out with some friends from school, but now as she looked back at Regina, she could predict that Henry had probably lied to her about being with his biological mother, and wouldn't you know it?

"But he said to me that he was here, just as he has been the last couple of days during the lunchtime!" Regina argued back and now seemed to realize the same truth as Emma just had. Crossing her arms firmly, Regina shook her head in disbelief, "it's not like Henry to lie about something like that," she sighed out, pushing her hair back in a frustrated matter.

Having her own hands on her hips, Emma sighed deeply as well as she either had any clue for the teenager's weird behavior.

"If I may intervene," Killian began and nodded towards David who gave a quick nod back, he looked back at the two mothers, and cleared his throat; "when we were on the Jolly Roger, both David and I noticed that Henry was acting strange." "Strange?...How?" Emma slowly asked both men, and raised her eyebrows slightly in anticipation when her father joined the conversation; "he seemed very off, as if there was something in his mind that he was really struggling with, I tried to talk with him, but we were either interrupted or he just shrugged me off," David sighed as he scratched the back of his neck in a slightly nervous matter, and took both of his hands to his side before looking at Emma; "I'm sorry, we...I should've said something," he apologized to his daughter, who gave a forgiving smile in return.

"So am I, love, as your father just said, we should have let you both on, on our worries," Killian joined in.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, guys, and there's no saying if he would have told the truth anyway as we can see that he has pulled a trick on both of his mothers," Emma told them both.

"But if he's not with either of you, where could he be?" Snow wondered out loud, which clearly was the big question in the room. "Maybe at Violet's?" The brunette suggested, getting the attention from both of Henry's mothers.

"Of course! Why didn't I think of that?" Regina almost exclaimed out in the room as she stood up. Emma just got to stand up and reach out to stop the former Evil Queen from poofing herself to Hank's house; "wait a second, Regina, maybe give him a call before just appearing in his living room" the blonde interrupted by gripping onto Regina's arm. Regina stopped for a moment, looking slightly annoyed before seemingly concluding that the blonde was right. "All right, I'll call him, and I'll suggest that you should take the bug and patrol the area, and you three," Regina turned around towards Snow, David, and Killian, "you will stay here in case he comes back here, deal?" She suggested and got a nod from everyone, and shortly afterwards both women where heading out of the building, leaving the royal family, and the pirate alone.

The Storybrooke forest.

"The Secret Place, The Secret Place..." Henry muttered to himself as he, Violet, Mei and the others were wandering around in the depths of Storybrooke forest.

"You sure it's out here, Mei? It seems to me it's just trees, trees, and well...Trees!" Nuan commented as she in slight frustration threw her arms in the air as she looked around.

"That's what it says..." Mei muttered as she once again unfolded the letter which she had been given from her grandfather in order to pass it on to Henry's mother, but curiosity had gotten the best of her, and had immediately collected her friends, including Henry and Violet to let them in on the new findings.

 _"I've had a vision, Dragon Warrior, and I will meet you at the Secret Place in the forest tomorrow to discuss further."_

For days now, they had searched the Storybrooke forest area, but there was nothing out here, well, beside from the trees, and the forest floor which was covered in ferns, moss, and fallen branches covered in moss as well.

"I don't understand, where would they meet out here, and why?" Violet asked out, louder than she had intended, and cringed inwardly as she noticed the way Henry took a deep breathe and shook his head. All of this was really taken its toll on him, and she knew that he was lying to both of his mothers about his whereabouts as he didn't want to be suspicious, especially when it came to Emma.

"Maybe we should just give it up, and Mei, give that letter to Henry's mom, I mean, it was supposed to be for her, wasn't it?" Bo asked unsurely as he gazed between all of them.

"Come on, guys, we'll give it one more day, okay?" Mei pleaded the group, but she herself felt more and more hopeless with this. Wherever her grandfather and Henry's mother would be meeting each other and probably had for quite a while, it was really well hidden, and she began suspecting that maybe the forest was some sort of code word they were using.

Henry wasn't at all listening. For him the conversation seemed to be one big mix of their voices as he was all caught up in his thoughts, mostly about why his mother would hide something like that from him. He thought that she would have learned by now that keeping things from the people close to her never helped. He wanted so badly to ask Killian or David if they knew anything, but as far as he was concerned, she probably hadn't told them either, and despite him being angry at her for keeping all of this, he didn't want to expose her in front of everyone.

"What is going on here?!"

A very, very familiar voice brought Henry out of his daze and along with Violet, Mei, and the others, he spun around to find his adoptive mother alongside with Violet's father who seemed as mad as the former Evil Queen.

"Mom, I...I," Henry stammered, unsurely what to say. He knew that the risk of being spotted grew higher and higher for each day, but still found himself poorly prepared for a direct confrontation like this one would certainly be.

Nearing with hands on her hips and a look that would bring even the toughest of souls to their knees, Regina seemed to have locked everybody outside of her mind and vision and only when she stood a few inches away from her adoptive son did she fold her hands, tapping with her fingers, clearly waiting for an explanation.

When that seemed to be missing out due to Henry not knowing where to begin, she took over; "remind me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure you told me that you where with Emma this noon as you have told me the last few days, but guess what? When I walked into the Sheriff station today to ask for my son, he wasn't there, and you know what else? Your other mother didn't know where you were either!"

"Well I'm here, so what did you want to talk to me about?" Henry tried, knowing that trying to change subject would fail miserably, but hey, 'could give it a try, right?

"That's not going to work, young man! You have quite a lot to explain -," "and so do you, Violet! Do you have any idea how scared and worried I became when Regina called and later arrived to ask for both of you? Hank interrupted, having his eyes fixed on his young daughter.

"Father, I'm sorry, it wasn't meant to be like this," Violet bowed her head in shame. While Henry would never consider Hank to be an abusive parent, he knew that Violet was raised by a strict, but lovely father.

"We're waiting," Regina tapped impatiently with her fingers, but when Henry opened his mouth, nothing came out. He wasn't even sure where to begin. How much did Regina know?

"It was my fault," came a new voice. Both Regina and Hank, along with Henry, and Violet snapped their heads towards Mei who had quietly spoken up.

"You," Hank breathed out with a clear tone of suspicion, and Regina felt no different; "as if you haven't caused enough trouble," she added, with a toxic, judgmental tone.

"Please, Ma'am if you would let me..-," Mei tried, but was interrupted by Hank; "No, I'm sorry young lady, but this time you've gone too far by leading our children to lie about there whereabouts, and what about you?" He nodded towards Zan, Bo, and Nuan, "do your parents know where you are?" By their ashamed looks, it was clear, "I thought so," Hank trailed off.

"You, all of you are coming with us to the station now, you have a lot of explaining to do," Regina told them in a strict tone.

"But mom," Henry tried, but was cut off with a "now!" From his adoptive mother, and he knew there was no use.

As Regina signaled to them all to gather around so she could transport them back, Mei did not notice that the paper with the message for Emma slipped from her hand and landed neatly on the forest floor.

When they all had been consumed by the purple smoke, a few minutes passed before a shadow was cast over the letter and picked up by a manly figure. Reading it, he chuckled to himself before taking out an old, but still usable phone.

"Hey, Lang? I think I found what you've been looking for...Yes...Yes it is...Okay, awesome, I'll help you grab her later this afternoon...Hopefully this will work, and we'll be back in Gongmen in no time...Wait...Are you serious?...This couldn't be more perfect..."

* * *

Gongmen City, the present.

It was like the nights before ever since he now got to spend them here, chained in the throne room, but for the first time in years, he began feelling the sparks of hope inside him.

For days, or nights to be more correct, he had been making escape plans with Bai, the Soothsayer of Gongmen City.

She had told him more about the land for which she had been forced to send the rest of his family to, and as she had added, The Land of Untold Stories as it was called, now had its people living in the land in which the new Dragon Warrior lived, or Savior as it was called there. The story was slight confusing. Something about a strange man split in two having made the people of that so-called land move to the new strange area.

Bai had told him that the land was as she had said it; "ages from here. In a different time."

That not only made him worry about the well-being of his mother and friends, but also about how different that world was and how it would influence their challenge of making the Dragon Warrior come here. Appearently they were too far away for Bai to tell about the exact situation in which the Dragon Warrior was in.

He knew he couldn't force her to come if she didn't want to, but he innerly hoped that he could reason with her if he couldn't find his family. They all needed her.

Jian looked towards the small wooden bird cage. The Nightingale had stopped shrieking, but had now gone completely silent and that worried him. From what he had learned about that special bird was that it was connected to the Dragon Warrior in some way. He didn't knew exactly how, but he had a feeling that Bai knew something about that, but she seemed very closed off when it came to that information, and on this very night if was as if he finally caught it.

They were being watched.

The feeling of someone spying on them suddenly crept up on him, and he looked around frankly to see if he could spot the listener, but no one was there.

Bai lifted her eyebrows at the boy's sudden movement, and when he looked towards her and their eyes locked on each other, she got it. He knew it now too. The exact reason for her not spilling more of what she knew, not that she was keeping more from him than she actually had told him. She didn't know much about the new Dragon Warrior, but she knew about the gender, and where she lived.

Since the first night they spend here together, Bai knew it wasn't a coincidence or that Shen had accidentally forgotten to make the guards return the boy to his cell. Whether it was the Lord himself or a forced slave, she didn't know, but there was an extra set of ears here, and that had made the planning for escape much hard to do.

The escape would be one thing, but the travel to the new strange land was a completely different matter. She had the ingredients to do it, yes, but she feared the risk of Shen and his men following them.

On the floor below them, Lord Shen sat in deep silence by the desk in his sleeping chambers.

Ever since having overheard the Soothsayer and the boy's talking for the first time, he had spend most of his days thinking on how he himself could get to the land that apparently the new Dragon Warrior lived. The one who could bring the Nightingale to sing again, but this time, it would indeed be the warrior destined to defeat him as the Soothsayer had foretold days ago.

 _"The path you're on will lead you on one way and on one way only, You will be defeated by a warrior from far, far away with the gracefulness of the swan"._

So far it wasn't as that Soothsayer had been right in anything she had said. Ever since he lived here as a prince, he had heard the same thing coming from that mouth, and yet, nothing had stopped him, but then again, he realized that he had been fighting the wrong warrior back then.

"Stupid old goat," he muttered to himself as he stood up and went to the wall on which his old, trusty guan dao lance hang with its shiny s-curved shape. Sharp and ready for the quick kill.

Carefully he took a hold on the weapon and lifted it out of its metal creak from which it hanged and began twirling it around.

This would always make him calm down some, practicing. His kung fu was on level with General Ox and Master Croc if they ever choose to rebel against him of which he was sure they wouldn't ever since the first time they tried.

Due to his thin and more slim physiology, Shen was more into battling with agility and speed when it came to close combats. He mostly prefered using his knowledge of gunpowder and have an army due the fighting for him, but a nice practice here with some spinning and sweeping maneuvers with his blade was never too hard for him.

Shen took a short break, feeling the drops of sweat trailing down his forehead.

He was way out of practice, the years of ruling this city without mercy and therefore without any challenges being one of the reasons, but as he sat down due to the aching of his muscles, he knew that his health was beginning to fail again.

The Nightingale had provided him with the needed energy, but now as it had completely stopped to make any sound at all, and just sat on the bottom of the cage without eating or doing anything, he feared that the bird would die soon and that there would be no other way in curing him

Shen sighed deeply. While he knew the new Dragon Warrior would, without him knowing exactly how, be the key in making the bird sing again, he knew that _she_ would also be his biggest threat.

 _"You will be defeated by a warrior from far, far away with the gracefulness of the swan"._

"The gracefulness of the swan, how ridiculous," he muttered to himself.

The peacock had always been his family's symbol, and though he despised his parents and the advisors of the palace, he had always carried the symbol of the peacock with him.

"I will find a way, Swan," he whispered and stood up again as the aching faded and slowly returned his lance to its hanging position on the wall.

"I will find a way, and you will see that the peacock will always stand victorious."

Looking out, the night over Gongmen City had now become even darker and with the blood red color of the sky, it had turned to a dark purple color.

A sudden scream from above tore him from his moment and there was no doubt. It was the old goat...

Racing up towards the throne room, he commanded every guard he met on his way to stay where they were and only have two by his side. He would never admit that whatever he would face, feared him to the bone. The Soothsayer had always been unpredictable, and he knew her well enough that when she screamed like that, it was a sign, a vision she had, and a very important one.

"The Dragon Warrior! The Dragon Warrior!"

Lord Shen smiled to himself when the doors to the throne room had been pushed open and what met him was the sight of the chained Soothsayer with her eyes on the back of her head, clearly not noticing who was in the room with her, and the boy on the other side of the room, clearly frightened of what was happening.

The elder woman was shaking, and so was her voice as a sentence that immediately caught the Lord's attention;

"Watch out for the wolf! Watch out for the wolf!"

Shen smiled to himself, knowing exactly what that meant...

* * *

Chinese Village, Ling's House

"Watch out for the wolf! Dragon Warrior! Watch out for the wolf!"

"Father! Father, what's going on?! Father!"

The voice of his panicked daughter snapped him out of the sudden trance that had fallen upon him. One moment he had just laid in his bed, trying to fall asleep, when suddenly this vision had hit him out of nowhere.

Blinking a couple of times, his old eyes caught Jun's chocolate brown, and after taking some deep breaths, he tried with his hand to wave off that he was okay, but he knew that his new student certainly wasn't. Emma was in high danger as of right now, and he had to warn her, or get someone to do it.

"Jun, dear," he whispered out hoarsely.

"Father, what happened? Are you all right?" She asked her father still panicked as she had just walked into her father's room, to tell him that she was going to the Sheriff Station, something about Mei, when she had found him sitting up right in bed, shaking, and his eyes white as they had rolled back into his head.

"I...I had a vision, my dear," Wugui stuttered, reaching out to take his daughter's hand. "I...I need you to find the Dragon Warrior for me," he whispered to her, clearly weakning from the experience.

Jun didn't say anything but just nodded at her father. "What do you want me to say?" She asked worried. One thing was Mei once again having gotten herself into trouble, spirits know what she had done this time, but this here seemed far more serious.

"Bring Laohu and Hong with you, explain to them that they need to come along," Wugui fought himself through as he clearly struggled to speak, but he knew that Emma needed to be warned.

"Tell them and the Dragon Warrior's family that she's in danger, and they need to find her immediately".

"I will father, please, just lay down and rest," Jun assured her father before standing up. As soon as she was sure that her father wasn't in any risk himself, she went out of the room, gathered her necessary belongings and headed out.

Back in Wugui's room, the old man laid back with his eyes closed tightly. He was too weak to go along, but...He tried to sit up, and when succeeding, he slowly got up. He had hoped for more time for this when he had begun training Emma, but things had chanced, and if fate turned out differently, he would have to plan so.

Getting his wooden staff, he grabbed it tightly, and felt within himself. Opening his eyes in one snap, he could feel it. He _did_ have the power for this, as if the spirits and the energy around him could feel that it was time already...

* * *

Storybrooke, on the road towards the sign.

"Come on kid, where are you?" Emma sighed to herself as she drove her old, trusty yellow bug along side the dark asphalted road. Not even music was playing along as she wanted her attention to be on her surronding as she was looking for any signs of the teenager.

Off course it had crossed her mind to find a piece of his clothing back home to track him down with a locator spell, but that would mean for her that she would either have to drive 'all the way' home or poofing herself there, and despite her wanting to find Henry as soon as possible, she had a feeling that Regina would turn to that method with Hank.

Her phone suddenly began ringing, and hoping that it was either Regina or her father with good news, she pulled the car over to the side, and picked out the smartphone from her pocket, but frowned when the number was one she didn't recognized; Sheriff of Storybrooke, this is Emma, what can I help with?" She answered professionally and frowned even more when the voice on the other line was as unrecognizable as the number was.

"Hello? The Sheriff, yes? I need help, out here in the woods! My friend is hurt, I think he was attacked!" The somewhat rough manly voice spoke out. It was slightly panicked, catching Emma off guard; "you need help where in the woods?" She asked looking around. Her car was parked not that far way from where she would meet the townline, and she was sort of speaking in the woods, but it was a wide term, they could be anywhere in the forest.

"Not that far from the sign, Sheriff, we're quite deep in, but if we keep being on line, I think you'll be able to track us down," the man told her.

"Okay, then, I will find you, don't worry," Emma assured the man and held on to the phone between her ear and shoulder as she started the car again and drove off with one hand on the wheel and the other on the phone.

Emma couldn't help but feel that there was something off about this, but at the same time, what kind of sheriff was she if she refused to help because of a suspicion that was unproved?

When she reached the sign, she parked her car and looked around, "okay I'm at the sign now, where from here did you go?"

"We went from the left, just go a little further ahead of the tracks and we're there. I will knock on a tree with a stick, so listen," the man guided her, and Emma began walking to the left as she was told and tried to listen.

Nothing could be heard, so she went further in, still with her phone at her ear. "I can't hear you.." She trailed off as she tried to keep focus on the sounds around her, but still being in contact with the man on the other line.

She frowned a little when no answer came, but decided to keep walking as the man probably was looking for at stick that would be big and thick enough to make a sound that could be heard.

A snap caught her off guard and she stopped up, moving the phone away from her ear, looking around. "Who's there? Is it you?!" She called out, feeling slightly panicked.

She turned around a couple of times, keeping a watch on her surrondings, but she couldn't see anything suspicious.

"But I can hear you," came a voice from behind, and before Emma even had the chance to look around, something heavy hit her head, and everything turned black.

* * *

The Sheriffs Station

The three left behind was either tapping impatiently with a pen, walking back and forth or sitting starring out in the air. None of them speaking, each deeply worried for the whereabouts of their beloved Henry, and even more so when hours seemed to have passed by.

"I've had enough, I'm taking the station car, wanna come with me?" David announced, breaking the silence as he tossed the pen standing up, and went to grab the keys hanging in Emma's office.

"But they asked us to stay here," Snow protested as she snapped out of her daze and stood up as well, and almost as quickly went to her husband, grabbing him by the elbow.

"That was hours ago, Snow, and we haven't heard anything," David protested, and went out of the other door in the office and stopped up to look at Killian; "right?"

Killian had stopped his tracing when David had stood up, but was clearly unsure what to do. "I don't know, mate..."

Poof!

A purple cloud appeared in the room, and revealed not only Regina, but also: Hank, Henry, Violet, Mei, and some other Chinese kids that they didn't recognized.

"Well, speaking of the devil," Killian muttered to himself and shrugged slightly.

"Henry! Oh thank goodness you're okay!" Snow called out relived as she reached her grandson and hugged him tightly before anyone could react. "We were so worried! Where had you guys gone off to?" The raven-haired asked the teenager and gave Violet a relieved, but expecting look as well.

"When we have contacted their parents, we'll get to that," Regina answered as she nodded towards the other Chinese kids beside from Mei.

"Do your parents have a phone?" The Mayor asked the kids and they more or less frightened nodded, and she nodded towards Killian, "make sure their parents are contacted, hers as well," she nodded towards Mei, and went over to kitchen area, a glass of ice cold water was definitely needed right now. She watched along as Killian guided the kids into Emma's office and got on the phone as the numbers were listed.

"I wonder what's going on," Snow whispered as David reached her and grabbed onto her shoulders in a dearly manner. "So am I...So am I," he answered back. "I'll go check on our little Prince while they're calling," Snow announced as she lightly shook off her husbands hands and went over to mobile baby carriage, standing on the desk.

Neal was sleeping soundly as if nothing was happening around him, and Snow sighed relieved as a fuzzy baby was the last thing needed.

Think of babies; "has anyone contacted Emma?" She asked out in the room, as she stood up, turning around, gazing at them all, noticing how Henry seemed to tense up by the mentioning of his mother's name.

"Gosh! I didn't even think of that! Give me a second," David spoke out, and grabbed his phone in his pocket, and quickly found his daughter's number.

Not even a ring was heard as a female voice told him that the number was busy, and he should call back later.

"Seems our daughter is talking with someone else," David frowned, but shrugged it off, after all, it could be another citizen in trouble.

"Try again later as suggested," Snow suggested and sat down on the couch by the cells.

"So, the deed is done," Killian announced as he guided the kids out of the office after having called their parents. Turned out that two of them where twins, and the younger on was Mei's little sister, making it easier and quicker as the rest where single kids.

David scanned them all; one girl, similar to Mei. Two boys, a younger girl, and two younger boys where the amount of small people in the room.

"Okay, so will anyone explain what is going on?" Snow asked out, clearly the question burning inside David and Killian as they nodded along, folding their arms.

"As said before, it was all my fault, none here is to blame but me," Mei began, stuttering and unsurely. Clearly this gave some uncomfortable déja vu from the last time she was here.

"Very well, young lady, but this time, I suggest that you tell us what is going on, and not asking us to wait for Emma to ask for her help," David told the younger girl.

"It's a very long story, I'm not sure if..." Mei trailed off, but was interrupted by the Mayor; "tell us what is going on," she sternly demanded, and brought her hands to her hips the same way she did when she had found them out in the woods.

"Mom, please," Henry tried out, but got a look from Regina telling, 'I'll get to you later,' making him sink, and step back.

Mei was about to speak further when a knock on the front door interrupted.

"I guess they're here already," Killian noted, and went to the front door of the station building. Normally they were used to people just walking in, but he could understand the parents that he called would be more humble in their approach. That was after all the feeling he got from having talked to some of them.

Opening the door, a Chinese woman which he did recognize as being Mei's mother, but the two others were unfamiliar. An elder man and a younger woman, everyone of them having a deeply worried look upon their faces.

"Hello there, welcome," Killian greeted them, trying to show them that there was nothing to worry about, "everyone is right in here, safe and sound," he pointed inside, towards the main area of the station with a smile to calm them down.

"Thank you, Sheriff," Jun answered and bowed slightly, as did the two others. Killian chuckled slightly at the gesture, but figured out it was a way of showing respect and gratitude, and they all went inside.

As they walked in, Jun immediately saw that both of her daughters stood with a look that screamed shame and guilt, and she quickly went to Mei and gathered her younger one to show that she was just glad that they were okay. There was enough worries to go around today.

"Is Emma Swan here?" The younger Chinese woman, Laohu asked looking around. From what she had gathered from Jun on the way here, Emma was blonde, and they should be careful about using the term Dragon Warrior around her family.

"No, in fact, we tried to call her some time ago, but she didn't answer," David answered, frowning clearly asking himself why these people were looking for his daughter when he was sure that the two of them were connected with some of the other children.

Jun broke the hug and looked worried towards Laohu and Hong who both got a very serious look on their faces.

"Mom?" Mei asked, clearly sensing that something was wrong.

The whole room soon got a tense atmosphere, and everything about the kids whereabouts in the woods seemed to be forgotten.

"It was grandpa, he, he saw something," Jun stuttered, trying to breathe deeply as she watched her oldest child's eyes grow in fear.

"What is going on?" Snow asked suspiciously, trying to hide the fact that her heart was hammering inside her chest.

"Where ever she is, Emma Swan is in great danger as we speak," the older man in the room spoke seriously, and not even a second passed by before David grabbed his phone once again, and dialed his daughter's number.

"One ring...Two rings...Three rings...Four rings...You have tried to reach Sheriff Emma Swan, I'm not available right now, but leave a message and I'll call you back,".

A true expression of horror showed through David's eyes and silence filled the room.

* * *

 **Annnnd well, look who stuck her head up from the bushes and showed herself after, I don't know, thousands of years?!**

 **Anyway, once again I've been caught up in work, and busy schedules, but now I have vacation, and hopefully I can do a chapter or two (hope for the one though).**

 **Well, as you might've noticed, the chapters have gotten titles now! I thought the week 1, week 2, and so on got too boring, and I wanted to be a little more creative.**

 **Speaking of which, if anyone is actually still following this, how do you feel with the whole "body and baby"-thing in the beginning - does it add something to the story, does it seem unfitting or what? - I've actually considered getting rid of it, and maybe just write which month we are in, and keep the scientic-thing for myself to know where we are in the progress.**

 **As said before, I feel like it's a little problem that a whole week passes by for each chapter, but I don't know if it seem that way. I hope I'll get some answers by you - either from reviews or private messages :)**

 **So, things got a little more serious now, huh? Me trying to create some sort of exciting story here ;)**

 **Hope to hear from you, even though I've been an old turtle with this - at least, it fits with the month now :P**

 **Flaxen.**

.


	20. Two Days Ago

**Two Days Ago**

 **Week 19: August:**

 **Your body:** _Your belly is getting rounder by the day, Savior, and you may find that you need to rest more to keep your energy up. Your back, and abdomen may be achy with the added weight, and despite suffering from pregnancy symptoms like heartburn, and indigestion, think about that you're almost halfway through! During this week you might find that there's some skin changes too. Your palms will become red - it's the extra estrogen. You may also notice that scars, freckles, and even underarms are darkening, but the darkening will fade away after delivery._

 **Your baby:** _The kidneys are now fully functioning, and they are producing urine this week. The pee passes into the amniotic fluid. Meanwhile, your baby is protected by a milky white coating called: Vernix. It keeps the skin from getting pickled in the amniotic fluid. Under the vernix, a fuzzy layer of hair called lanugo covers the baby's body, but most of the fuzz will fall off before the baby's coming. Your baby's sensory development is exploding as well. The brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that baby may be able to hear your voice now! Your baby is moving frequently as well, and by now you should be able to feel those movements. Your baby weighs now about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom - about the seize of a large heirloom tomato._

* * *

Gongmen City, China, the past:

For 20 years, he had waited for this moment; the moment where he would reclaim his title as rightful air to the Gongmen throne.

Not much had changed since he was banished from the place. The throne room was still furnished with his father's golden peacock framed throne - the one he had been promised since he was playing here.

Taking over Gongmen City had went exactly as he had planned - showing off his power, and leaving proof of it in the form of the now dead Master Taxin's famous axe was left mounted in the palace's center square which served both as a warning to those who would try and attack him, and as a trophy for Shen.

During the reclaiming of Gongmen, he had ordered Boss Wolf, the leader of his army to make his men searching each and every home in the city to take all the metal they could find - even from the farthest villages in the area. The metal was to be used in creating more cannons - more cannons would mean more power, and power was exactly what he needed for his even bigger plan - to take over China.

One of the bigger cannons had been placed on some of the lower levels of the tower - in case of intruders, since the Soothsayer had said that who he thought was dead, was very well alive - the warrior destined to defeat him. He was prepared.

The citizens hadn't been given much chance either. Those who didn't surrendered and accepted their new ruler at once was either enslaved, tortured, or executed for all to see. Their bodies had been exposed for warning until they would rot. Among those had been heavily respected members of the city council - especially those who Shen had remembered calling him the "omen" of the royal family. Oh, seeing those fools being tortured to death by his hands had been perhaps one of the best occassions during his reclaim of the city. Each of them had begged for mercy, trying to apologize, but Shen had only laughed scornfully at those fools as their bodies had slowly been torn apart by four riders.

To believe that this city had once been one of China's most beautiful, and welcoming cities would be hard to believe when looking upon it now. The streets were empty for people, which in the past was bustling with markets, shops and of course, people, and the sky was now blood red where it before was blue with a few clouds above them.

Flowers would be blooming during this time of year, but Shen had ordered those removed. Everything that reminded just a little bit of his parents in the area would be destroyed or made over. Stone tiles would be replaced instead of the flower beds, and the once proud firework factory had turned into a weapon production. Everything, except the golden throne which he now possessed had vanished, and every trace of the former rulers were gone.

Bai, the old Soothsayer tried with all her might to talk some common sense into the now young king of Gongmen. She had more or less raised him. She had taken care of him when he was deadly ill as a child. She had fed him, taught him to ways of ruling when he got older, and had slowly let the parents take over the older he became.

She tried with all her might to spot that innocent child who would give him those innocent, insecure smiles of victory when he got something right in his teachings, or when he needed someone to hold him during the night, but he was gone. Replaced by what seemed like a brainwashed mind.

But though things seemed to go smoothly for the new ruler, an old enemy was slowly starting to show its ugly signs, despite having been gone for all these years.

It had started slowly with coughing, but Shen knew that it was only the first symptom. He had been close to dying several times in the past. He would get sicker and sicker until his body couldn't carry him any longer.

Asking for medicine in this city had already proven to be crucial one time. Turned out some rebellious souls tried to poison him, but he wasn't that stupid if that's what they had thought. He had ordered a guard to try it out, only for the man to lay dead ten minutes after. Execution by their own 'medicine' was of course the right punishment.

Shen knew he had to look further away, and like he did so many years ago to find that threat that was promised to defeat him, he went to the palace library. After 20 years of banishment, he was sure that new scrolls had replaced the old ones, and sure they had.

Though Shen seemed to be a man who only cared about power and weapons, he did like to study and research. Showing off muscles wouldn't do it alone, he also needed the knowledge of the world around him to be able to plan out in facing enemies and claim therytories. His own kung fu skills were decent, but not nearing the level the Master's in the other regions.

Searching through the shelves of scrolls, Shen remembered back when he had researched for the Soothsayer's prophecy. Of course he for all those years of being away from Gongmen had believed that his ultimate enemy had been send to the Spirit Realm, but the way the old goat would look at him, and shake her head at him had made him unsure.

During the attack he had ordered every house burned down and every person killed, regardless of their gender and age, but he had learned that the knowledge of his actions in the Xiong province had come from a group of people who had managed to escape back then, and one of them could be that prophesied 'Dragon Warrior'.

Once again, he would sit here for days on end, reading about the progress the other regions of China had gone through, about the trading agreements made between the kingdoms, and tales of the civil wars that had been going on over the years - of course, not all kingdoms could be peaceful to one another.

While catching up on all of that aside for what he already knew from the news he got when he was away, none of the scrolls kept the information that he was searching for, and that was both when it came to the legend of the Dragon Warrior and for medicine.

The news of him taking over Gongmen had of course already spread, and several trading partners had already threatened him in cutting their deals and inform the government of China. The trading, he could care less of. Those had been made to provide the citizens with different commodities they could sell, and the citizens were the least of his worries. The government was something else though. If they choose to attack him while unprepared, he could wave all his ambitions of taking over China, and probably face an execution as well.

That had been the reason for him to order his men to force the blacksmiths of the city and in the suburbs to make as much metal as they could. He needed to be prepared for an ambush. Of course, a direct war against the government could give him the direct road to the ultimate power over the country, but as of now, he had to go step by step, region by region, province by province.

Only occasionally would he order some guards to escort him to the previous firework factory to see the progress of his cannons by himself. Things were going the right way as it seemed, and he had calculated that it wouldn't be long until he could guard the entire coastline with weapons for intruders who came sailing.

Finally, during one late night did he find what he was looking for. Once again by the help of the same author, the legendary Master Oogway, living in the Peace Valley.

A bird was told to be singing from one of the highest mountains by the Jade Palace. Its song would affect all living creatures in the area, calming them, and most importantly healing them.

It was said that the bird came to the Peace Village when the Dragon Warrior had fought his hardest of battles. Oogway had suggested the bird in being a reward from the spirits, and to him it seemed that the warrior and bird was connected.

Shen sat back by the headboard of his bed, considering his options. He had enough men to ambush the place, and if he brought some of his cannons, they would indeed do a good job as well, but he also needed enough to defend Gongmen, and maybe this needed another approach.

Thinking of the map, The Peace Village was actually not that far away from the village in the Xiong province; Shen figured that the famous warrior must have been one of those, who had escaped his last attack, and had fled to Oogway's land. The Soothsayer had told his parents back then that the warrior destined to defeat him would come from a place, far, far away, so the mentioned warrior in the old Master's tales must have been from that part of the Xiong province. Where else?

Shen sat himself more up, and got the scroll from his bedside table. He reread the story, chuckling scornfully at the text, though Master Oogway was the most respected kung fu master of all time, it seemed way too ridiculous that a bird would the reward for 'the toughest of battles'. Also, the man was connected to the bird? Even more hilarious, it made absolutely no sense to him, and he took himself in pitying the older man. Perhaps his age was catching up to him?

A painfully cough suddenly tore its way out, and Shen had to for a moment lay the scroll away and tend to his body's attempt in getting rid of the irritation in his lungs.

That cough was a reminder, he thought to himself, and laid the scroll on his bedside table. By early morning, he would gather his men, and take off to the Peace Valley.

"Not much peace, when I'm done," he whispered to himself before he drifted off.

* * *

Storybrooke, Sheriff's Station

Frustrated, she kept on brushing her hands across her face; Snow could feel tears rimming in her eyes, but she shook her head, refusing to let them fall as she wanted her focus to remain.

Looking around, she caught the sight of her husband and son-in-law and took a deep breathe to calm herself when their expressions told them that they indeed were close to breaking as well, and she could only follow them.

Her now five month pregnant daughter had been missing for two days now without any tracks or signs of her whereabouts.

Regina had tried making a locator spell, which only had led them out deep within the forest area, only for Emma's famous red leather jacket to fall to the ground and just lay there without flying up again.

It had been long since Snow could recall having felt as hopeless as now, and she was beginning to fear the worse.

Despite her urge to fight off her tears, she failed, and when she felt two hands landing on her shoulders, she couldn't hold it back anymore and turned around, burying her face into her husband's chest.

"Shh, Snow, I know, I know," he whispered into her hair as he drew his hand around in circles on his back, trying to calm her down, "oh David, I can't take it anymore, where is she?" She cried into David's shirt, holding on as if her life depended on it.

Killian watched the couple trying to cope with their daughter's disappearance, and he fought within himself to not throw something in anger and frustration. He caught David's eyes and both of them took a deep breathe, trying to withhold their own emotions now that Snow needed the support.

"Henry said they would be back here soon, and that we finally would get some explanation," Killian joined in, his voice calm as he watched Emma's mother looking at him, smiling slightly at him, but frowned again when she pulled away from David's embrace.

"I just don't understand; who in their right mind walks straight into to telling a couple of parents that their child is in danger to only take off again?" She asked out, clearly upset as she once again wiped her eyes.

"From what I could get from Henry, a emergency occurred as Mei's grandfather was sick, and her mother wanted them to go back home as soon as they came," David answered, trying to sound like he understood their action. Surely, if one of his family members was in critical condition as what it had almost sound like, he wouldn't waste a second staying put to tell further details, but on the other hand, the two strangers who came with Jun, Mei's mother had just delivered the horrible message that his precious daughter was in danger, and had left again, while leaving him and his family to discover that they couldn't get in contact with Emma, and now, two days later, there was still no sign of her.

Since then, they had all teamed up, searching for Emma in groups. The only clue they had was that her yellow bug had been found just by the sign at the borderline. They had tried once again with a location spell, but it only lead them to the same spot in the woods, and they figured that Emma was close to the area, and so as of right now, the Storybrooke forest was once again being seeked out for the certain blonde with Robin in the lead.

It felt like an eternity before the front door to the station opened and the group came in. Rain had begun falling so all of them, consisting of his grandson, Violet, Hank, Regina, Zelena, and the former outlaw were almost soaked to the bone as none of them had brought rainwear with them.

"Any news?"

Killian new that it was a stupid question as if they had found her, she would be here as well, and the atmosphere would be much more light and happy than the clearly feeling of hopelessness they all had taken with them.

"I'm sorry, mate, nothing," Robin answered with a deep sigh, patting the former pirate on the shoulder in a comforting matter, he hated not being able to help his best friend more in this.

"Don't apologise, Robin, you're a big help, all of you are," Snow responded while giving towels for all to dry themselves in.

"I just don't understand why my locater spell isn't working," Regina wondered out loud, crossing her arms as she sat down on the couch, "and the weird thing is that it's the same spot we're being led to, but there's no sign of her," she continued, and sighed deeply as well.

Snow didn't know what to answer, so she went to the small kitchen area to make coffee and tea, making her disappear into her own thoughts; during the years she had disliked the use of magic more and more, as Henry once had pointed out, it always seemed to cause more harm than good, but right now, she would give anything to get her daughter and unborn grandchild back.

As she took a scan across the room, she could tell that all of them was thinking more or less the same. Silence felt the room even though it was occupied by nine people, ten when counting Neal who was sleeping soundly in his crib, unaware of what was going on.

A firm knock on the front door made them all look up, and thinking it was Mei, and her family, Snow almost ran to the door, as all of them were anxious to know more of what was going on. Henry had already hinted that the events that had been going on since April were all connected.

Opening the door, Snow had expected to see her student along with her family, friends, and the two who had showed up to warn them, but instead, two strange men stood outside in the now pouring rain. Both of them were Asian looking, wearing black leather jackets alongside a pair of dark jeans. One of them was wearing an eye patch on the left eye, while the other seemed way bigger and more muscular.

"Is the Savior here?" The one with the eye-patch asked, almost growling as he spoke.

If their appearances alone hadn't made Snow highly suspicious about these two, the man's question certainly had.

"No...No, she's not here," Snow answered them, getting her courage to sound more firm than she felt.

"What is going on here? Who are you?" Came the firm voice from her husband as he walked up to stand protectively behind Snow as he felt the same uncertain nudge about the unexpected visit when seeing them.

"I think we should take a look ourselves," the man answered back and made his way towards Snow and David, not at all threatened by the two of them standing guard; "get out of the way."

"Hey! Stay back," David called out firmly, making his way in front of Snow,"you can't just - argh!" David grunted in pain when the man gave him a hard nudge in the chest with his elbow, followed by a knee in the gut, making the prince go down on his knee with a hand on his stomach.

"David!" Snow cried out, gripping onto her husband's shoulders.

The man stepped closer, ignoring Snow who glared at him, his boot giving a heavy clunk as it landed on the floor, and bent down to grab onto the collar of David's brown jacket, "I said; get out of the way," and with that, he showed David carelessly to the side.

"Stop it! Get away from here!" Snow spoke up, but the ice cold stare from the man's eye left her frozen to spot, speechless. It was soulless and Snow knew that they wouldn't hold back giving her the same treatment.

Instead she went to help David standing up as both men made their way into the main room, hoping that at least Regina would take proper care of them.

"All right, listen," the other man called out in the room, trying to hide the surprise both of them felt as seeing how many people were in here;

"We're here for only one thing: the Savior. Give her up, and no one else has to get hurt," he announced to them all and nodded towards David who was helped into the room by Snow, still in slight pain.

"Bloody hell," Killian whispered, taking in the sight of Snow and David walking in after the two intruders together. They had all heard the rumbling and both he, Robin, and Hank were about to see check up on what was going on by the entrance, when the two black dressed men had stomped their way in.

"First of all, she's not here, and even if she was, we wouldn't give her up, not without a fight," Snow responded firmly from her stand point.

"I see...Well...I guess you didn't find her after all, did you?" The eye-patched man shrugged, causing everyone to snap up; only so few people knew that Emma had been missing these days. Even Leroy had understood the importance of keeping the information of her appearance to a minimum, which could only mean one thing;

In a flash, Killian had raced towards the eye-patched man and had pushed him up against the wall, hook at the man's throat; "I swear! If you have as much as scratched her, I will tear you apart!"

"Oh, I think we left more than a scratch," the other man chuckled, making Killian lose focus from the man he held, turning his attention to the other. He was trembling with rage, but wasn't quick enough to defend himself against the blow that connected to his chin, sending him backwards, landing harshly on the floor.

"Killian!"

Henry had gotten to the fallen pirate in a flash, "are you okay?" He asked his stepfather and was about to help him up, but was pushed away by same man as Killian with wide eyes watched as his attacker neared them.

The man was about to kick Killian in the stomach when he froze at the spot; "that's enough," came the strict and cold voice of Regina Mills.

"What the hell?" The man grunted in anger and looked up to see the blackhaired woman having her arm reached out towards him.

"I think you've introduced yourself quite enough there," she sneered at him.

The other man gulped and took a step back. Clearly, none of them had been prepared for any of the residents of Storybrooke to have that sort of power in them.

"Now, I suggest that you tell us, where Emma is, or I will make sure the consequences are way bigger for you than you could ever imagine," Regina told them without any hint of her not going through with that threat.

With a heavy sigh and grunt, the man caught by Regina nodded towards the other man, and cleared his throat; "it was two days ago.."

* * *

The Storybrooke Forest, two days ago:

"She's coming to."

An unfamiliar voice came through as the first thing. Her head ached terribly, so did her back, and arms. When things became clearer, she understood; her arms were pulled back around the trunk of a tree, and her hands were tied to each other, and she was sitting very uncomfortably on her knees on the moist forest ground.

"Wakey, wakey."

Another male voice which was unknown to her.

Glancing up, she tried to hide her gasp when two asian looking males stood side by side, looking down at her with a grin. One with an eye-patch, and one looking 'normal' in that matter.

"Took you long enough, well, better late than never," the man with the eye-patch commented as he bent down to her level. Emma couldn't do anything when a firm hand gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him;

"Now, you tell us everything we want to know, and we will let you go without too much harm, got it?"

Emma shook her head, trying to get out of the man's grip, but he was strong, leaving her to grind her teeth, glaring at him.

"No need for that, think about the little one," the other one smirked, while picking up a heavy stick, probably the same they had used to knock her out with.

"What do you want?" Emma asked, trying to sound calm and unaffected by her situation, despite her heart beating like crazy. They had just threatened her unborn baby with not as much as one hint of them being sarcastic.

"We know who you are, and therefore, you know the way to our land, I'm pretty sure the olding have shown you," the eye-patched man began, keeping his grip on her, "and we're planning to take you with us, our Master will be very pleased to have you in his keeping."

"I..I don't know what you're talking about," Emma stuttered out, and could only watch as the man released his grip on her chin to pull the same hand back, a smack that could be heard from miles away was delivered on her right cheek, forcing her head away. She couldn't help giving away a cry of both pain and shock, her blonde hair fell down on both sides, covering her face for a moment, before a hand made its way through her locks to get the same firm hold on her chin once again;

The man only grinned when he saw the fingermarks on her cheek, and her split lip.

"What did we say? Tell us everything we want to know, I'm sure you must know something about this," the man continued as if nothing had happened and pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket.

"The old man's grandkid, including a bunch of other kids were out here yesterday, and this was dropped from them," the man told her, and showed it to her.

Despite the pain still lingering, Emma managed to concentrate enough to read the text on the note; _"I've had a vision, and I will meet you at the Secret Place in the forest tomorrow to discuss further,"_ She read out loud. Taking a shaked breath, Emma looked up at both the man holding her, and the man standing up behind him; "I swear, I have no idea what this means - " WHACK!

Another blow came her way, and once again, her head was forced to the side. "That's some nasty bruises you're getting there, maybe you should stop lying to us and tell us the truth," the other man commented without a hint of him caring for watching as a pregnant woman got beaten up.

"I...I'm telling the truth," she told them again, flinching and whimpering slightly, when thinking that she would be hit again. Her biggest fear was that they would go after her stomach, which she couldn't protect in anyway by the way her arms were tied, but nothing came, instead the man stood up; "very well," he sighed, and signaled to his partner to hand over the stick.

Emma's heart began beating even more now, "please, I swear," she begged him, trying to stop the tears from flooding, but she was cold, in pain, and in fear of her unborn child. The sun was setting, the forest was getting darker and darker, and she was at the mercy of these two maniacs.

The man in front of her, just looked at her with an uncaring stare as he repeatedly hit his other palm lightly with the stick he was holding with his other hand.

Rain began dropping from the sky, and the man looked up, and from the smirk he made, Emma could tell an idea just came up;

"I think we'll ask again tomorrow, maybe a night out here will make you remember things," he announced, "come on, man, we will make camp over here," he guided his friend away and together they went a few metres from where Emma was tied, sitting down with their backs towards her, probably to start a fire.

This gave her the chance she had been waiting for, despite the risk of dizzy spells and worse case, her fainting, she had to get away from those two. There was no way she was going to stay out here, risking being sick of being out here. Not to mention the risk of being beaten more, or even raped by those two monsters. She had no other choice, and inwardly she actually thanked them, because they had given her the inspiration for the perfect hiding place, without risking this not working due to the distance and her being weakened by the recent events.

A poofing sound made both men spin around only to see the remains of grey smoke in the air.

* * *

Storybrooke, Sheriff's Station

Killian was blinded by rage, until now he had been able to contain himself, but this was the boiling point, not only had they taken his love, they had also harmed her, several times. He more than wanted to bury his hook into the throat of those bastards!

Without thinking, he lounged at the eye-patched man. His eyes dark with anger towards the two strangers, but a firm set of hands on his shoulders pulled him back, "Killian, no!" Came the voice from David, pulling him out of the haze. Struggling some, Killian tried to get out of his grip, but David held on, "I know, I know," he muttered to him, feeling just the same fury within him. How he wanted to give them the exact same treatment, but at the same time, starting a fight would only let to more people getting hurt.

Regina had released her hold on the man long time ago, and despite the looks, the man in front of them was a quick and fierce fighter.

"So yeah, we really don't know where she went, but as the past have shown us before, when threatening the loved ones, she will show up." The eye-patched one shrugged uncaringly by Killian's acting.

Snow felt her heart clench more and more when hearing the men talking about how they had treated her daughter without a care in the world. She looked out the window, and despite the blinds was pulled down, she could tell that it was getting darker outside, meaning that another day was soon to be gone, meaning that Emma had been out on her own third day in a row.

She took a glance at the people in the room; David was still holding a slightly struggling Killian. Robin and Hank looked ready to join a fight should one occur, Regina and Zelena could kill with the glares directed towards the two strangers, and finally, Violet was leaning her head on Henry's shoulder, who had an protective arm going around her.

For a moment, Snow took a closer look at her grandson; his expression seemed to be a mix of shock, fear, and guilt?

Before she could think anymore of that, another unfamiliar voice broke her thoughts;

"YOU!"

Everyone turned their heads to see the Chinese woman who Snow recognized as being the same who came to them two days before Emma's disappearing, warning about her daughter's safety.

The woman though had no one else but the eye-patched man in her radar, and Snow could tell there was no doubt; there was a history here, and whatever past they had, it was not a pleasant one.

In a flash, quicker than she had seen any human move, the woman had crossed the room, and now had the man in a death grip up against the bars at the closed off cell. There was no doubt that the woman was seeing red, and like a predator, she launched her hand back, preparing her hand as if it was a paw with claws and in one quick move, she had slashed the man's cheek.

Everyone seemed frozen and shocked by the streak of events; even Regina stood as if glued to floor, not moving an inch.

The woman continued to launch attacks while tears streamed down her face, until another presence came into the room. It was the same man who had been with this woman two days ago, and he walked up as if nothing was happening, and put his hand on the woman's shoulder, "Laohu, that's enough".

Her hits began dying down, and the woman sank to her knees, sobbing loudly into her hands.

The victim of the woman's rage just stood, smirking and brushed his hand across his cheek, smiling sickeningly at the blood dripping from his fingers; "now that's what I call spirit, way more impressive than what theirs showed off, kinda hard to imagine that she really is who the old man claim she is," he commented, as he nodded with his head towards Emma's family.

"The old man? Now that's quite the title."

Another strange voice filled the room, and everyone in the room once again turned their attention towards an even more elder looking man who slowly came walking in, holding himself up by a staff.

Along with him was a clearly worried Jun and Mei.

"Father, please, be careful," Mei warned, and Snow could tell that these two as well recognized the strange men in the room.

"They will not harm me, as I'm the only one who knows the place that they seek, and I also know where the one you are seeking is," he spoke calmly, quickly getting the attention of everyone in the room as they all connected the dots in his choice of speaking;

"You know where Emma is? How is she? Is she okay?" Came the questions from a clearly worried mother.

The elder man looked over at her, and just as calmly as he had spoken, he smiled at her; "your Emma is well, but weak, I sense that her spirit is fighting, but don't worry, I will come to her and aid her, but for now I can't take you there," he told them without any hint of a loophole.

"You see, the place where Emma is, is a place I created when coming here, and when the time is right, it will be a portal for me and my family to go home, but first, I need Emma to be stronger in her soul as she would be coming with us to help us in getting a very important soul back home to us," the man explained, and clearly ignoring as the strange men neared him.

Snow had so many questions about what the man had just told them, and a quick glance across the room told her that the rest of her family had as well, her son-in-law clearly being one of them, but at the same time, she felt worried for the man as the men came closer to him, both of them looking like wolves having found an easy meal.

"I tell you grandpa, you better do yourself and your family a favor in showing us that place, or we will harm even more people you care about, and you know that we, along with the Master will go anyway it takes," the eye-patched man roughly spoke as he nodded backwards towards the woman who was still silently crying in the other man's embrace.

The woman glared at them through her tears, but stayed where she was. Snow took a good look at her, whatever those people had done to her, it must have been so terrible, and horrific as the woman seemed to only a shell of the warrior she had once been.

"Trust me, I know, but neither you or Shen have seen the harm that it will do to you at the end, my friend, but that will come, when the Dragon Warrior has found inner peace, you will see what true power is," the man spoke with proud.

"Okay, could you people stop talking in bloody riddles and start to tell us something? My pregnant wife has been missing for two days because of these two bastards having kidnapped her, and now, _you_ come in here, and tell us that you know where she is, but can't take us there?!"

Everyone, including the newcomers turned to Killian who had clearly lost his patience, Snow could only give him a smile of empathy. She knew that it had taken all of Killian's strength to stay this civil until now.

"I understand your frustration my friend, but because of past experiences," the elder man spoke and turned towards the crying woman, "I cannot risk in another family being torn apart, but at the same time, Emma is really important for my people, and my land."

"Please, I just want to see her and take her home," Killian pleaded, but only an emphatic look was given, and then the man was suddenly surrounded by pink petals, and before anyone could react, he was gone, only leaving a few of the colored leafs behind.

"Father!"

Jun could only stand in shock as her father just had disappared, leaving the group of people even more stunned and confused than before.

"Mom, I think it's time that we tell them," Mei spoke silently as she laid an hand on her mother's arm.

Taking a deep breath, Jun looked over at the crying woman and the other elderly man who both nodded at her.

"It all started a long, long time ago."

* * *

The Secret Place.

It must have been years since she found her reflection so unrecognizable as it was now, and to think that it had 'only' been two days was maybe even harder to get a grip around.

Two days since she had been knocked out, tied to a tree, and when she woke up, beaten by two strangers who undoubtedly had a connection with all that crazy stuff that had been going one, yeah, ever since she got pregnant again.

Emma was sitting on her knees by the edge of the small pond in the place that she now had resisted in ever since she had managed to flee her kidnappers by poofing herself here. First it had been a big relief by getting away from them, but now, she just wanted to go home, but she felt too weak and exhausted to even spark her magic on to do another transportation.

It was clear now that this place was isolated for only her and Wugui to see as the men hadn't found her, and she knew they were searching for her, so there would be no way that her family would know where she was.

Hunger, soreness and tiredness hung over her like a heavy cloak. She had eaten some of the peaches from the tree, but they could only do so much. Emma knew that she needed better nutrition, especially when she was almost halfway through her pregnancy.

The temperature was nice - not too warm, not too cold, and it continued being so through the night, so she had been able to sleep some, but not much since her mind was disturbed by questions of how she was going back? Did her family search for her? What about Henry? Had Regina found him, and Violet? And what were they up to?

A riddle in the water disturbed her thoughts, a petal had softly landed on the surface, making rings in the water. The interruption made Emma look up and around. Since staying here for this long, she had recalled the mornings she would come here, trying to meditate as Wugui had told her to.

It had been long since she had practiced, and she really couldn't figure out where she even was in the process.

Groaning, she slowly stood up, only to take a few steps leading her towards the peach tree, and carefully sat down, her sore back leaning against the trunk, giving the much needed support.

A nudge in her belly made her smile slightly, her hand brushed against the shirt that covered her stomach, having a sign that the baby inside was still alive despite everything made wonders right now. All she needed now was to be in her husband's arms, sitting in their living room by the fire, while watching Netflix.

Emma shivered recalling the events that lead to her fleeing to this place; those men, their eyes were cold and empty for sympathy. No wonder they had no trouble in beating up a pregnant woman.

Taking a look over the place made her wonder what they meant, and what Wugui wanted to talk to her about - the note she had read was note meant for her, telling her about a vision he had, but somehow that note had gotten in the hands of those men, and they seemed to know exactly what the elder man wanted to talk to her about, but how?

She and Wugui were the only ones knowing about this place, as far as she could tell. She had despite her wanting to not included either Killian, Henry or anyone else in her family about it.

On the other hand, that man and his family, including Mei, and the other Chinese kids had left more mysteries than solutions during the past months, and with these two men, who knew who else lurked here from their world?

 _"We know who you are, and therefore, you know the way to our land, I'm pretty sure the olding have shown you"_

"A way to their land," Emma whispered to herself, confused. How was she supposed to know a way to their land, heck, she had trouble even understanding the bottom of what Wugui had told and shown her - everything from the dreams and visions he apparently had given her, to, yeah well, this place!

 _"Sing, sing little Nightingale, sing."_

A whisper through the air made her head snap up. She hadn't heard these words in a long time, but she without a doubt recalled them from the times when she had those dreams about, what turned out to be a vision about Wugui and his home; Valley of Peace, right?

Looking around to locate the voice, another riddle in the pond before her caught her attention, but this time, it was not from a pedal, but a small spiral forming.

Standing up as quickly as she could, Emma watched along with wide eyes as light rays began shining through as the spiral grew bigger and wider. The light became more intense, creating a golden and orange light in the whole area, until an image of a familiar hill peak, looking over a valley during a beautiful sunset.

"Of course," Emma whispered to herself, almost deadpanning herself. She recalled this pond being more than just a pool of water as Wugui had shown her images about his past from it by using his staff, and whatever she had done, it had created a portal;

Against all common sense, Emma felt an urge. An urge to go nearer and nearer, until she stood by the very edge of the pond. Once again she sat down on her knees, and with one hand supporting her on the edge, she reached out with the other, touching the image.

Even more light began surronding her, and only a faint "Emma, stop!" Was heard as the light now fully engulfed her, and a certain elder man could only watch with horror in his eyes as he watched as the light grew even more intense to the point where even he had to shot his eyes close, and as the light cleared out in one big flash, only the sight of the peach tree and a now still pond was all he met.

"What have I done?" He whispered to himself, signing deeply as he knew what was going to happen now;

The Secret Place now began fading. The tree, the bench, the pond, all of it began fading in color, and slowly start to dissolve, until Wugui stood alone, at the very place in the woods where he created this secret room, only for him and the Dragon Warrior to know about until it was time...

His knees gave out underneath him, and he fell to the ground.

The very creator and master of Kung Fu himself could only being recalled being faced with this much despair and hopelessness; when stood at the edge to find inner peace, and when he had watched the last Dragon Warrior die in front him, and the family which his last student had build up.

And now, he feared deep, deep within that he had caused the death of yet another one.

* * *

Gongmen City, present:

With wide eyes, Bai snapped awake, and with shaky breath, she tried to collect herself from the vision she had just received from the spirits; no it couldn't be, not now!

She looked over at the sleeping teenage boy from her point of the room. It had been days now, and they were still chained to the pillars in the throne room. She could only pity the treatment they had given such an innocent child. That boy had seen and experinced things a kid at his age never should have, and now he was faced with even more suffering by being here at this place when his family was torn apart forever.

"What did you see?"

Bai snapped up, glaring when a slim man made his way into the room; she knew that they were being watched, she had known ever since the boy was brought here, and now it was confirmed.

"I will not tell you," she snapped back, watching as the man in front of her just smirked, "very well then."

"GUARDS!"

The roar caused the boy to wake up as well, confused he looked up to see two guards running into the room, ready for battle with their spears.

"Soothsayer, you are way too predictable for your own good," the grey-haired man sneered and turned around toward his men, "kill the boy," he ordered without a hint of consideration.

Jian could only watch in horror as the guards neared him. Despite him knowing kung fu well enough to defend himself, there was nothing he could do with his hands chained in Shen's special made cuffs that only got tighter the more you moved.

The guards were now standing above him, one of them tossed his spear, and pulled out a long dagger. Jian closed his eyes, preparing himself to meet his father again, when a "STOP!" That could be heard all the way to farthest regions of China could be heard from the elder woman.

Laughing and smirking to himself, Shen ordered his guard to drop the knife and Jian opened his eyes to see the weapon on the floor. He looked up at Bai, shock and relief being mixed in his brown slit eyes as he watched the elder woman taking a deep sigh; "I'll tell you," she growled at the man in front her.

"Speak up then, I'm waiting".

A movement from the corner of his eye caught Shen's attention, and when his gaze caught the wooden bird cage.

"Chirp."

From the first time since that useless bird had stopped both singing, and for goodness sake, shrieking, it was making a sound now.

The small brownish creature seemed as if a small spark of life had just been created inside its small body, and another chirp made it through its beak.

With a slight smile, Bai watched along, and found herself beginning to relax more than what the situation and atmosphere would have allowed her to. Maybe, just maybe, she had underestimated things, and there was a hope.

"The Dragon Warrior has arrived," she stated, smirking back when Shen turned towards her, utter shock across his expression.

* * *

 **Hopefully, you can guess what happened here, and if not, you'll certainly find out during nex chapter.**

 **I'm hopeless at updating - we all know that, back to something more interesting, or more something that I've been thinking about writing this story;** **is it becoming too dark for a T-rated fic?**

 **I've considered things during this chapter, and at the beginning I thought that M is more if I was more in detail with what was happening right? Or, I can't figure it out, and it will become darker, but at the same time, if I M-rate this, it will be hidden, and only shown for those who searches it out, and while this story has a teeny-tiny amount of followers (if you're still out there), I would hate for it to disappear from new readers, and it's not like I will go into horrible details, but there will be future events happening that will take it this story to a more darker path - I don't know...What do you think?**

 **Otherwise, I can only tease that next chapter will take this story a new turn, making it connect to the events happening now to a whole new level - if you know what I mean ;)**

 **Flaxen**


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